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Tunic for Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake

Theatre Costume
ca. 1960 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This costume was designed by Leslie Hurry for Prince Siegfried in Act III of Swan Lake, as produced by the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet in 1943; with minor modifications, it was in use until 1987, having been made dozens of times for over thirty dancers. The decorated shield-shaped panel and the rows of bold braid and cords hint at a military tunic, but adapted for a romantic and princely character. Today, the prince traditionally wears black, partly as an indication of his mood, but also to match the ballerina, who wears a black tutu, when they perform the famous Black Swan pas de deux.
Ballet costumes have to be extremely well made to withstand the pressure of dancing - a combination of extreme movement and sweat generated by the dancing and the stage lights. The maker has used large, extremely strong press studs and hooks and bars to ensure that the costume does not come open at the back - no zip fastener could withstand the stress of the movement.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTunic for Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Silk velvet, gold metal cords and braids, artificial silk, satin and cotton twill lining.
Brief description
Tunic designed by Leslie Hurry for Prince Siegfried in Act III of the ballet Swan Lake, Sadler's Wells Ballet, 1952. Black silk velvet with gold embroidery and cords and white sleeve puffs.
Physical description
Long-sleeved, square-necked short tunic of black silk velvet with white organza pin-tuck pleated neck infill, fastening down the back. The sleeves are full to the shoulder, graduating to fitted on the lower arm; from the shoulder, stitched to upper sleeve is a loose band of the black velvet; down the upper arm are two double puffs of white artificial silk, surrounded by a figure-of-eight of heavy gold metal cord, running from the sides of the loose band and around the puffs. At the front is a shield-shaped panel embroidered with a star motif surrounded with decorative scrolls and a fine lattice around the sides. Across the left lower edge, from the back opening, up the body to the proper right of the shield, over the shoulder and across the back neck to the left shoulder at the fastening are four rows of bold gold metal Russia braid, edged at the outside with a line of the heavy gold metal cord, finishing in a coil at the left shoulder; similar lines run up the left side of the back opening, around the left neck to meet the other lines at the point of the shield panel. The body and arm panels are lined with black satin and the sleeves with cotton twill; around the lower edge are hand-worked bars. The costume fastens with rows of heavy press studs and hooks and eyes.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem of sleeve length: 67cm
  • Maximum width width: 54cm
  • Weight: 1.4kg
Marks and inscriptions
Label: "(printed) ROYAL OPERA HOUSE / PRODUCTION: (handwritten) LAC / (printed) ACT: SCENE: / Character (handwritten) PRINCE / (printed) Name (handwritten) BLAIR / (printed) COVENT GARDEN" (Label located centre front neck)
Object history
The costume was designed by Leslie Hurry for Prince Siegfried in Act III of the ballet Swan Lake, as produced by the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet in 1943; these designs, with modifications, continued in use by the Covent Garden company or by the Touring Company, until 1987. This design for the tunic was a constant throughout.
The tunic was worn by David Blair, who appeared in the production between 1955 and 1963 and was probably made ca. 1960.
It was purchased by the previous owner at Christie's as Lot 54 in the sale of 6th December 2003
Summary
This costume was designed by Leslie Hurry for Prince Siegfried in Act III of Swan Lake, as produced by the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet in 1943; with minor modifications, it was in use until 1987, having been made dozens of times for over thirty dancers. The decorated shield-shaped panel and the rows of bold braid and cords hint at a military tunic, but adapted for a romantic and princely character. Today, the prince traditionally wears black, partly as an indication of his mood, but also to match the ballerina, who wears a black tutu, when they perform the famous Black Swan pas de deux.
Ballet costumes have to be extremely well made to withstand the pressure of dancing - a combination of extreme movement and sweat generated by the dancing and the stage lights. The maker has used large, extremely strong press studs and hooks and bars to ensure that the costume does not come open at the back - no zip fastener could withstand the stress of the movement.
Collection
Accession number
S.101-2004

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Record createdJune 1, 2004
Record URL
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