Not currently on display at the V&A

Andrea Chenier

Design
1959 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for stage costumes worn by women 'en travestie', created by Leslie Hurry for a production of Andrea Chenier, 1959. The costumes were to be made in different colour-ways. They were created for members of the chorus, including the sopranos Gwynneth Jenkins and Dorothy Nash, and the mezzo sopranos Margaret Morris and Josephine Proust.

Andrea Chenier by Umberto Giordano & Luigi Illica translated by Tom Hammond was produced by Anthony Besch for Sadler's Wells Opera initially at Coventry Theatre on 11 September 1959, and toured before its official premiere Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 13 October 1959.

Andrea Chenier was first produced at La Scala, Milan in 1896 but is not frequently performed in Britain. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier (1762-1794), who was executed during the French Revolution. The opera was chosen to open Sadler’s Wells Theatre after the building of a new proscenium arch for the stage and improved acoustics.

A review published in The Times 14th October, 1959, noted that ‘the sets and dresses by Leslie Hurry had the authentic French Revolutionary appearance.’






Object details

Category
Object type
TitleAndrea Chenier (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Black ink, watercolour and pencil drawing
Brief description
Design for stage costumes worn by women 'en travestie', created by Leslie Hurry for a production of Andrea Chenier, 1959
Physical description
Design for stage costumes worn by women 'en travestie', created by Leslie Hurry for a production of <i>Andrea Chenier</i>, 1959.
The design shows a full length, 3/4 view of a woman in male attire. She is wearing a three piece suit, in a pale line green. The suit has a long, close fitting, jacket, flaring out at the hem, with wide turned back cuffs. This is worn over a red waistcoat, with a striped pink sash at the waist, and with a blue neckerchief at the collar. The close fitting knee breeches match the jacket and a secured with pink garters at the knee.
Dimensions
  • Height: 38.5cm
  • Width: 28.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'MISSES MORRIS - JENNINGS - PROUST - NASH' (Handwritten annotation in black biro, bottom left hand corner.)
  • 'Silks various patterns 5 LADIES 4 NASH FAWN SUIT YELLOW W/COAT BLUE FACINGS & CUFFS MORRIS TURQUIOISE SUIT FAWN W/COAT YELLOW CUFFS & FACING JONNINGS YELLOW SUIT TURQUOISE W/COAT FAWN CUFFS & FACIN# PROST BLUE SUIT " W/COAT YELLOW CUFFS &FACNG' (Handwritten annotation in blue and black biro on the rear of the design.)
  • 'Andrea Chenier' (Handwritten annotation in ink at the base of the design.)
  • 'Leslie Hurry' (Handwritten annotation in ink, bottom right hand corner)
  • '1 yd facing, 42/- (Also [illegible] (Handwritten annotation in pencil on the rear of the design.)
Credit line
Given by Mrs Caro Rathbone
Literary referenceAndrea Chenier
Summary
Design for stage costumes worn by women 'en travestie', created by Leslie Hurry for a production of Andrea Chenier, 1959. The costumes were to be made in different colour-ways. They were created for members of the chorus, including the sopranos Gwynneth Jenkins and Dorothy Nash, and the mezzo sopranos Margaret Morris and Josephine Proust.

Andrea Chenier by Umberto Giordano & Luigi Illica translated by Tom Hammond was produced by Anthony Besch for Sadler's Wells Opera initially at Coventry Theatre on 11 September 1959, and toured before its official premiere Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 13 October 1959.

Andrea Chenier was first produced at La Scala, Milan in 1896 but is not frequently performed in Britain. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier (1762-1794), who was executed during the French Revolution. The opera was chosen to open Sadler’s Wells Theatre after the building of a new proscenium arch for the stage and improved acoustics.

A review published in The Times 14th October, 1959, noted that ‘the sets and dresses by Leslie Hurry had the authentic French Revolutionary appearance.’




Collection
Accession number
S.1875-2014

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Record createdAugust 14, 2014
Record URL
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