Opera is the most comprehensive musical art. In recent years, contemporary opera worlds has seen a variety of attempts to reinterpret operas of the past in a modern light. This has resulted in a dramatic change in the production of musical style and stage art. The purpose of the study was to modernize and streamline opera costumes by extending the scope of existing stage costume design, through the reinterpretation and application of the decorative elements in the Middle Age of Rococo, such as ruffles, frills, shirring, embroidery, buttons, etc., in such a way as to effectively communicate the moods of an opera to a modern audience. The costumes of the Rococo period were reinterpreted in a modern way, with the following results. First, in this work, the male main character was played by a bass to express the image of an older, lazy, rich man. A key element in modernizing the stage costume was selection of the costume color in such a way as to visually represent the voice tones sung by the major characters in the opera. Second, the maid hat and aprons were decorated with frills by applying the curves of Rocaille decoration from the Rococo period symbolize the role of the maids. This represented the distinction between occupation according to class and status at that time, while also expressing the ideals of modern feminine beauty. This makes for more comfortably-worn costumes, and is economical for production expenses. In the future, the stage costume design for classical opera will need to be revised consideration of a modern viewpoint.
Opera is the most comprehensive musical art. In recent years, contemporary opera worlds has seen a variety of attempts to reinterpret operas of the past in a modern light. This has resulted in a dramatic change in the production of musical style and stage art. The purpose of the study was to modernize and streamline opera costumes by extending the scope of existing stage costume design, through the reinterpretation and application of the decorative elements in the Middle Age of Rococo, such as ruffles, frills, shirring, embroidery, buttons, etc., in such a way as to effectively communicate the moods of an opera to a modern audience. The costumes of the Rococo period were reinterpreted in a modern way, with the following results. First, in this work, the male main character was played by a bass to express the image of an older, lazy, rich man. A key element in modernizing the stage costume was selection of the costume color in such a way as to visually represent the voice tones sung by the major characters in the opera. Second, the maid hat and aprons were decorated with frills by applying the curves of Rocaille decoration from the Rococo period symbolize the role of the maids. This represented the distinction between occupation according to class and status at that time, while also expressing the ideals of modern feminine beauty. This makes for more comfortably-worn costumes, and is economical for production expenses. In the future, the stage costume design for classical opera will need to be revised consideration of a modern viewpoint.
The purpose of this study is to analyze Bakst's stage costume illustrations for Ballets Russes. The Russian Ballets has renown in the West since the early 20th century. Diaghilev first made his name as the organizer of art exhibitions in Russia and Western Europe. Diaghilev risked presenting only ballets in 1909, that time Bakst designed Schéhérazade, L'Oiseau de Feu and Le Carnival. Schéhérazade was something new which overwhelmed the French people by then. It was seen to be the achievement of Wagner's idea where all the elements; the music, the design, the choreography, and the dancing fused into a perfect whole. The entire production was a hitherto unseen harmony of colors, sounds and movements. For the 1911 season in Paris, Diaghilev planned to present six new ballets and Bakst designed four ballets. Bakst's design of the set and the costume greatly shocked the audience. His "Originality" shines on the fact that he introduced a palette of colors in theater for the first time in history. He used a magic of colors to suggest the secret meaning of what was happening on the stage. The results can be divided into three distinct characteristics. First, oriental designs such as Cléopâtre, Schéhérazade, L'Oiseau de Feu, La Péri and Le Dieu Blue with Russian, Indian and Persian traditional design in headdress and accessories ars found. Second, Le Carnival and La Spectre de la Rose used romantic styles with oriental details. Third, Greek chiton and Himation are used in Narcisse, Hélène de Sparte, L'Après-Midi d`un Faune and Daphnis et Chloé inspirde with various colors and geometic patterns. Bakst's orient of lush colored costumes, head dress, cushions, rugs and hangings became the immediate fashion imitated by Parisian couture houses and interior decorators.