Tannhauser by Wagner, La Scala Milan

The aim here was to produce a new design for an entirely new production of the opera. This required very close collaboration with the director, lighting designer, choreographer and conductor in order to develop a new interpretation and design that related to, and was part of, the overall concept. This involved research into Wagner’s score and libretto and into the opportunities for innovations in costume and set. In particular this production included the Venusburg ballet at the beginning of the opera. This meant I was designing for both an opera and a ballet in a way that created a seamless and cohesive relationship between them in the context of the highest quality expectations of La Scala, Milan. Artistically this created a challenge for me as the designer to match the spiritual and metaphoric aspects with the human and with the physical requirements of choreography. All this involved a two-way interchange with members of the collaborating team over an extended period.

My research and design strategies in this work gained from the debate with theatre design colleagues at the University. This interchange not only had an indirect effect on the creative process but also provided a real context for design strategies I needed to develop for this very large-scale project.

The work received extensive national and international review in the press and on television.