{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1221268"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1221268/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GM5324/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GM5324/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GM5324","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Estate of Nicholas Georgiadis","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FH4085","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Estate of Nicholas Georgiadis","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1221268/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1221268","accessionNumber":"S.1904-1986","objectType":"Set design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Set design by Nicholas Georgiadis, <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>, Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, 1964.\r\n\r\nWhen Kenneth MacMillan began creating <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> in 1964 he intended the ballet for his protégés Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable and he even choreographed a ‘Balcony pas de deux’ for them to dance on Canadian television. The television pas de deux had been designed by the Australian artist Kenneth Rowell and it was Rowell who expected to design the full production. The Board at Covent Garden did not approve this choice and MacMillan turned to his long-time collaborator, Nicholas Georgiadis. MacMillan was happy to work on his ninth ballet with Georgiadis and its success led to repeated collaborations on multi-act ballets: <i>Manon</i> (1974), <i>Mayerling</i> (1978), <i>The Sleeping Beauty</i> (1987) and <i>The Prince of the Pagodas</i> (1989).\n\nWhen MacMillan contacted Georgiadis the designer had a busy schedule but found he could devote 20 days to designing the three-act ballet. This is his design for the ballroom. For the costumes both MacMillan and Georgiadis studied Quattrocento paintings, not treating them literally but through the filter of mid-20th century theatre and fashion.\r\n\r\nThe creation of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> proved somewhat traumatic, not least as the company’s American impresario, Sol Hurok, insisted that the premieres in both London and New York should be given to Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. This upset MacMillan and his chosen cast, selected for their youth and acting abilities as well their dancing, the ballet having been inspired by the youthful Judi Dench and John Stride as the lovers in Franco Zeffirelli's production of the play at the Old Vic (1960-61). <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> was nevertheless an enormous success, receiving a 40-minute ovation with 44 curtain calls on its opening night. Obviously the presence of Fonteyn and Nureyev contributed to this but Georgiadis's designs were among the stars of the show. \r\n","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Georgiadis, Nicholas","id":"A5987"},"association":{"text":"designers","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Shakespeare","id":"THES253244"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2013GM5324","2012FH4085"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356712"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set design","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1964","earliest":"1959-01-01","latest":"1968-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Arts Council of Great Britain","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Set design by Nicholas Georgiadis, Romeo and Juliet, Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, 1964","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1904-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"1904","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-20","recordCreationDate":"2011-05-12","availableToBook":true}}