{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1296590"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1296590/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HF3290/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HF3290/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HF3290","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1296590","accessionNumber":"S.1411-2014","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[{"title":"The Queen of Spades","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Costume design by Leslie Hurry for 'A Gross Ecclesiaste' and 'A Stout Marquis' in Tchaikovsky's opera <i>The Queen of Spades</i>, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1966. They were worn by 'Mr Booth' and 'Mr Urquhart'.\n\nThis production of the three-act opera, <i>The Queen of Spades</i> by Peter Tchaikovsky, with its libretto based on Alexander Pushkin’s story by Modest Tchaikovsky, was performed in an English translation by Rosa Newmarch. The first production of this opera at Sadler’s Wells Theatre opened on 14 September 1966. The production was directed by Anthony Besch with choreography by Harry Haythorne and Leslie Hurry’s designs were lit by Charles Bristow. \n\nLeslie Hurry (1909-1978) trained at the Royal Academy and during the 1930s became known as a surrealist painter. A one-man show in London in 1942 was seen by the theatre director, Michael Benthall, who recommended Hurry to the dancer and choreographer, Robert Helpmann, then planning a ballet based on Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i>.  The success of his designs set Hurry on a second career as one of the most distinguished theatre designers of his generation.  He designed operas, ballets and plays, notably <i>Swan Lake</i> for the Sadler's Wells Ballet in 1943, a production which stayed in the repertoire for thirty years; <i>Venice Preserv'd</i> for Peter Brook (1953); the Ring Cycle at Covent Garden (1954), and <i>Troilus and Cressida</i> at Stratford for Peter Hall (1960), famous for being staged in a sand pit.\r\n\r\nLeslie Hurry’s designs for <i>The Queen of Spades </i>were criticised for their lack of colour, and for failing to convey the lavish dress and wealth of aristocratic society in 18-century St Petersburg. <i>The Sunday Times</i>, however, considered the sets ‘harmoniously coloured’ and ‘suitably uncluttered and oppressive’ and a reviewer writing for <i>The Times</i> found the costumes of Russian officers in the gambling scene particularly 'appealing'.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Design for two stage costumes by Leslie Hurry for Tchaikovsky's <i>Queen of Spades</i>, Sadler's Wells, 1966. The design is for a costume for 'A Gross Ecclesiaste' and 'A Stout Marquis'. They were worn by by Mr. Booth and Mr. Urquhart in an unspecified scene.\r\n\nThe design shows two full length male figures. The figure on the left is dressed in a floor length crimson robe and a curled wig. The robe has a full skirt and fastens at the centre front with a vertical row of buttons. He has a wide gold sash at the waist and a white neckcloth. A cross is suspended from a bead chain across his chest. \nThe figure on the right hand side is dressed in a pale blue three piece suit with a wide skirted jacket, over a long, patterned waistcoat and right knee breeches. A sword hangs from his right hip.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hurry, Leslie","id":"A9404"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25681"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Sadler's Wells","id":"AUTH323842"},"association":{"text":"producer","id":"AAT197742"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"graphite","id":"AAT11098"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Black ink, watercolour and pencil drawing","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Opera","id":"THES263971"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014HF3290"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES356600"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"design","id":"AAT54190"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1966","earliest":"1966-01-01","latest":"1966-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Caro Rathbone","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"37.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'A Gross Ecclesiaste', 'A Stout Marquis'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in ink beneath the designs"},{"content":"'MR BOOTH'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in black biro, bottom left hand corner"},{"content":"'MR URQUHART'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in black biro, bottom right hand corner."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design by Leslie Hurry for 'A Gross Ecclesiaste' and 'A Stout Marquis' in Tchaikovsky's opera <i>The Queen of Spades</i>, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1966","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Queen of Spades"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1411-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"1411","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2014-07-17","availableToBook":true}}