08.11.2012
Angelina Atlagic: Renaissance fantasies
The Mikhailovsky Theatre is preparing for the premiere of Nacho Duato’s ballet ‘Romeo and Juliet’ set to the music of Sergey Prokofiev. In this production the choreographer is once more working with Angelina Atlagic, an artist from Serbia, who delighted the audience in St. Petersburg with exquisite costumes for ‘Sleeping Beauty’. Angelina Atlagic has told us about the new plans of their artistic union:
— Costumes for ballets, especially those whose libretto is based on the masterpieces of classical literature, are a huge challenge for a costume designer. With Nacho, this challenge is even bigger, as it is necessary to follow his precise, almost geometrical choreography which does not allow for unnecessary details. We decided to stick to the time in which Shakespeare set his drama, which is Verona in the 15th century — so that was my starting point too. I found the inspiration in Italian paintings, but the basis for my costumes I derived from Nacho’s choreography and Prokofiev’s music. The costumes are historical but re-created in a contemporary way, made from very light materials such as silk muslin, satin, velvet. The shapes are simple with details that are reminiscent of embroidery and decorations from the early Renaissance.
In Nacho’s version of Romeo and Juliet the two warring families belong to different social classes — for the poorer Montagues I found the inspiration in ‘street fashion’ whereas for the Capulets it was in ‘haute couture’. In the ball scene the ladies are dressed in evening gowns which are reminiscent of the Renaissance in colour and ornament. Following the plot of the libretto I vary the spectrum of colours and the weight of the fabric, going from fair colours and light, airy fabrics at the beginning towards all the darker and heavier ones which lead us to a tragic end.
Juliet’s costume is at odds with all the other costumes from the very start, she is full of light, white as a dove; she is a symbol of innocence as well as faithfulness, someone who rejects the societal norms and who is brave enough to withstand them even if it costs her her life.
— Costumes for ballets, especially those whose libretto is based on the masterpieces of classical literature, are a huge challenge for a costume designer. With Nacho, this challenge is even bigger, as it is necessary to follow his precise, almost geometrical choreography which does not allow for unnecessary details. We decided to stick to the time in which Shakespeare set his drama, which is Verona in the 15th century — so that was my starting point too. I found the inspiration in Italian paintings, but the basis for my costumes I derived from Nacho’s choreography and Prokofiev’s music. The costumes are historical but re-created in a contemporary way, made from very light materials such as silk muslin, satin, velvet. The shapes are simple with details that are reminiscent of embroidery and decorations from the early Renaissance.
In Nacho’s version of Romeo and Juliet the two warring families belong to different social classes — for the poorer Montagues I found the inspiration in ‘street fashion’ whereas for the Capulets it was in ‘haute couture’. In the ball scene the ladies are dressed in evening gowns which are reminiscent of the Renaissance in colour and ornament. Following the plot of the libretto I vary the spectrum of colours and the weight of the fabric, going from fair colours and light, airy fabrics at the beginning towards all the darker and heavier ones which lead us to a tragic end.
Juliet’s costume is at odds with all the other costumes from the very start, she is full of light, white as a dove; she is a symbol of innocence as well as faithfulness, someone who rejects the societal norms and who is brave enough to withstand them even if it costs her her life.
