Costume design by Cecil Beaton for the Maids to Turandot in Act I of Turandot, Royal Opera House, London, 1963

Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was best known as a photographer. Beaton also worked as an illustrator, a diarist, and designer for stage and film. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of My Fair Lady (1965) and for Gigi (1958).

Turandot is an opera in three acts and five scenes with music by Giacomo Puccini and is written for a cast and orchestra of over 160. It was Puccini’s final opera that was completed by Franco Alfano and received its premiere on 25 April 1926 at Teatro alla Scalla in Milan. Turandot was originally designed by Cecil Beaton for the Metropolitan Opera House, New York in 1961 and was reproduced for the Royal Opera House with some modifications on 28 February 1963. The producer for the Royal Opera House was Sandro Sequi and conductor Edward Downes. Cecil Beaton’s designs were lit by William Bundy. The costumes were made by Bonn & Mackenzie Ltd., Alec Shanks, Vidrobes Willis and Covent Garden Production Department. Shoes by Anello & Davide and Miss Shuard’s headdress was made by Hugh Skillen. Cecil Beaton’s designs were praised by the critics for being full of colour and elaborate. Philip Hope-Wallace of the Guardian said “Cecil Beaton has designed superb costumes, of original fantasy and high skill”.