Opera, a new arena for Haute Couture The case of Christian Lacroix
Transcription
Opera, a new arena for Haute Couture The case of Christian Lacroix
MARIAM VIZCAÍNO Prof. “Referentes Culturales de la Moda” OPERA: A NEW ARENA FOR HAUTE COUTURE. THE CASE OF CHRISTIAN LACROIX I. FASHION DESIGNERS AT THE OPERA Viktor & Rolf, Fall-Winter, 2009-2010 Picasso, Van Gogh, Mondrian, Wesselmann and Matisse as inspiration in Yves Saint Laurent's Works Opera glistens in its own light when the costumes that inhabit it brush perfection “What matters is the collaboration of all arts” Gustav Mahler COSTUME IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF STAGING WAGNER VERDI WEBER 19th CENTURY PUCCINI FASHION DESIGNERS AT THE OPERA At the beginning of the 20th MARIANO FORTUNY Tristan und Isolde CEACIL BEATON Turandot ERTÉ Manon, La Boheme, I’l Pagliacci, Faust, Don Pasquale,The Barber of Sevilla, Las mamellas de Tiresias, La Traviata, Cossi fan tutte, Caccia al Tesoro, Gonzague, Caxtor et Pollus, Der Rosenkavalier KARL LAGERFELD “Les Troyens”, Theatre alla Scala, 1982 MISSONI ROBERTO CAPUCCI “Norma”, Arena di Verona, 1986 CHRISTIAN LACROIX “Cendrillon”, Opéra-Comique (Salle Favart), 1986 MARC BOHAN “Orfeo ed Euridice”, Monte Carlo Opera, 1987 VERSACE “Salome”, Teatro alla Scala, 1987 VALENTINO “The Dream of Valentino”, Washington National Opera , 1994 ARMANI “Così Fan Tutte”, Royal Opera House, 1995 YOHJI YAMAMOTO “Tristan und Isolde”, Bayreuth, 1995 JESÚS DEL POZO “Farnace”, Teatro de la Zarzuela, 2001 VIVIENNE WEESTWOOD ZANDRA RHODES “Aida”, San Franciso Opera, 2007 VIKTOR & ROLF "Der Freischütz”, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 2009 UNGARO “La Clemenza di Tito”, Teatro San Carlo, 2010 PRADA “Attila,” Metropolitan Opera, 2010 Opera is a cultural event blessed with an indisputable prestige since its beginnings The fact that since its naissance Opera had to exalt its promoters explains why it was constituted as a refined show Christian Lacroix, Adriana Lecouvreur, Statisterie der Oper Frankfurt, 2011 In addition to a strong social prestige Opera holds an significant presence in the cultural sphere WRITTERS ARTISTS JOURNALISTS PROFESSORS ACTORS POLITICIANS STUDENTS Many opera performances are broadcasted to thousands of viewers across the world in big cinemas Through internet streaming from big Opera houses z In established and widespread cultural channels such as the prestigious medici.tv French TV network artelive The presence of fashion designers in music temples has a very significant media impact both on the press and in the digital world Miuccia Prada, “Attila”, 2010 There are specific centers specialized in costume preservation which promote attractive temporary exhibitions resulting a huge media impact Centre National du Costume de Scène of Moulins in France. “Centre National du Costume de Scène” of Moulins in France. II. OPERA AS A PLACE OF FREEDOM Opera is an medium for the costume designer to excel in his creations since he is confronted with a complex task but is ridded of the obstacles and restrictions imposed by the market system Viktor & Rolf, ”Der Freischutz”, 2009 Opera is a space of liberty and cooperation where only the rules of art prevail Viktor & Rolf, ”Der Freischutz”, 2009 A place of freedom as opposed to the enclosed and egocentric haute couture world Karl Lagerfeld, Grand Palais de Paris, 2012 An artistic laboratory in which to freely experiment with the fusion of styles The 1913 opera “Victory over the sun” was a crucial contribution because it gave birth to the supremacist theory which made Malevich a visionary of abstract art Opera became a showcase of vanguards, allowing a wider promotion of the movement. Should fashion follow this example, it would probably obtain the same prolific results as the vanguards did at the start of the last century Malevich, sketches for Opera “Victory over Sun”, 1913 III. CHRISTIAN LACROIX, A PARADIGMATIC EXAMPLE LACROIX‟S OPERA PRODUCTIONS 2001 1986 Cendrillon Opéra-Comique (Salle Favart) 1989 Carmen Nîmes Arènes Acteon Thèâtre des Champs Elisées Dido and Aeneas Thèâtre des Champs Elisées 2002 Theodora Öpera de Bilbao LACROIX‟S OPERA PRODUCTIONS 2006 2004 Cossì fan tutte Théâtre de la Monnaie, Bruselas. 2003 Il re pastore Thèâtre de la Monnaie, Bruselas/ Luxenburgo/ Como, Pavia, Innsbruck Festival Les arts florissants y La descente d‟Orphee aux Enfers Cité de la Musique, Paris Heliogabalo Thèâtre de la Monnaie, Bruselas 2005 Die Frau ohne Schatten Thèâtre de la Monnaie, Bruselas Don Giovanni Festival d’Innsbruck y en Baden-Baden Maria Golovin Opera de Marseille/ Festival de Spoleto LACROIX‟S OPERA PRODUCTIONS 2012 Don Pasquale Oper Köln, Colonia Adriana Lecouvreur Oper Frankfurt 2011 Agrippina Berlin State Opera 2007 Les nozzes di Figaro Festival d’Aix en Provence/ Luxemburgo 2009 Fortunio Opera Comique, Paris Candide Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, Berlin Aida Oper Köln, Colonia Salomé Theater St Gallen I Capuleti e i Montecchi Munich Le Bourgeois, gentilhomme Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris. Madame Butterfly Hamburg State Opera NOW Inspiration and cultural references AESTHETIC GHOST "Every man needs aesthetic ghosts in order to live. I have pursued them, sought them, hunted them down” Yves Saint-Laurent Costume History Ancestral traditions Photography Cinema Arts ARLES His home town is one of the most beautiful cities of Provence, bursting of light and color and imbued with the joie de vivre and nonchalance typical of the French Midi LONDON Oliver Messel LONDON Cecil Beaton LONDON “My Fair Lady” Ascot scene by Cecil Beaton, bromide print, 1958 LONDON Lacroix always cherished My Fair Lady stills of Ascott which perfectly capture the elegant and stylish universe that has is a trademark of the Beaton house ANDALUCÍA He is fatally attracted to Spain and is dazzled by the brilliant torero costumes, earthy colors and the baroque excess of Andalucía The essential characteristics of Lacroix’s style THE STYLE ALCHEMY Thanks to his arrogant sense of humor Lacroix constructs garments with a comic and disconcerting insolence ALARMING COLORS His feast of alarming colors –an explosion of „joei de vivre‟ and genius- are well acclaimed in the Opera world where a tradition of luxurious arrogance still prevails TRAGIC OPULENCE Lacroix is addicted to fabrics to such an extent that his proposals setback asceticism in favor of splendor and magnificent, sumptuous cloths THEATRICAL VISION He is convinced that a women is a diva Lacroix and Opera MUSIC AS A SACRED RITUAL Every Sunday his grandfather made him listen to an opera on the radio in religious silence AMBIENCE OF OPERA DEVOTION Little Christian was fascinated by Maria Callas, due to the way she sang as to the sublime passion of her arias A HOBBY After attending a performance Lacroix redesigned the set and costumes in his own manner, reintroducing new color balances and reinventing shapes and forms CARMEN COSSI FAN TUTTE AGRIPPINA CONCLUSION In 1914 Jeanne Paquin had a splendid idea of inviting young actresses dressed in her fashion models to Opera in order to promote her new fashion collection Jeanne Paquin, La Cote d'Azur, 1914, George Barbier, La Gazette du Bon Ton Since Opera‟s origin, the foyer and box seats have been privileged places to market the latest trends to elegant and sophisticated high-society women. But Paquin‟s genius occurrence managed to convert these seats into “conscious diffusion” places. ”Gala at La Scala” by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1934 Still, at the turn of the 20th century a much more visible place than the box seats has been conquered by designers: the stage This innovative window display increases renowned fashion designers‟ prestige by associating their creations with one of the most refined dramatic arts. In addition, Opera is a place for intimate and human liberty, where haute couture creators can display their stunning imaginations without any market restrictions Antoine Raspal, “The Dressmaker” in Arles Museum Arlaten, 1795 An easy space to adapt to for haute couture designers as has been seen through Christian Lacroix‟s career path The designer who wishes to approach this new arena needs to possess a strong artistic personality, must be familiarized with music and conscious of the demands of dramatic action OPERA AS A NEW ARENA FOR HAUTE COUTURE IS A FUTURE OPTION FOR THE FASHION WORLD. HOPEFULLY, A FRUITFUL AND INSPIRED CONTRIBUTION BETWEEN BOTH WORLDS WILL ARISE. MARIAM VIZCAÍNO Blog: vestirlaopera.wordpress.com Contact: mvizcaino@villanueva.edu