{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1606263"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1606263/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MX2733/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MX2733/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MX2733","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1606263","accessionNumber":"S.202-1981","objectType":"Silk programme","titles":[{"title":"Silk programme of the State Performance at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 4 July 1893","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Silk and satin theatre programmes were frequently produced in the 18th and 19th centuries to commemorate special theatrical and  musical events, the less expensive ones with integral fringing made from fraying cut edges, and the more expensive with separately applied silk or metallic fringes. This programme, featuring photographs by Walery, was produced for a State Performance at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, on Tuesday, 4 July 1893, in honour of the marriage two days later of Prince George the Duke of York (1865-1936), the second son of the Prince of Wales (Prince Albert Edward (1841-1910) who became King Edward VII), and Princess Alexandra (1844-1925). Prince George married Princess Mary of Teck (1867-1953), who was also known as May, after her birth month. The couple went on to become King George V and Queen Mary.\n\nThe evening was a glittering affair with a royal party of forty heralded into the theatre by the Band of the Coldstream Guards, the Prince of Wales escorted into the Royal Box by the Lord Chamberlain. Despite her image being on the programme, Queen Victoria was not present. She never attended the theatre after the death of her husband, Prince Albert. The theatre, transformed overnight by manager Augustus Harris and an army of staff, boasted banks of flowers, silk drapery, swags of electric lights and even a huge wedding bell of white roses with orange blossom bell-ropes and a clapper. Gounoud's <i>Romeo et Juliette</i> was performed in French, with the famous Australian opera star Nellie Melba as Juliette, and the Polish tenor Jean de Reszke as Romeo, but without the last act, which was considered too tragic for such a happy occasion. The gold Tiffany opera glasses, decorated with pearls and diamonds, that Sir Augustus Harris presented to Princess May that evening are in the Royal Collection.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Silk programme on cream silk with minimal integral fringing on right and left sides and selvedge top and bottom. Printed in brown ink with photographic portraits by Walery in roundels of Queen Victoria (top centre), her son Prince Albert (below right), his wife Princess Alexandra (below left), their son Prince George the Duke of York and his fiancée Princess May of Teck (centre), Dame Nellie Melba, and Sir Augustus Harris (below), with the cast list of Gounoud's<i> Romeo et Juliette,</i> performed in French with Mme Melba as Juliette and Jean de Reszke as Romeo. Produced as a souvenir of the State Performance in honour of  the marriage of their Royal  Highnesses The Duke of York and The Princess May of Teck, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Tuesday, 4 July 1893.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Walery","id":"A27744"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed silk","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Opera","id":"THES263971"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021MX2733"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES356672"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"silk programmes","id":"THES285409"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":"Walery's photographic studios were in London where this silk programme was probably printed"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1893","earliest":"1893-01-01","latest":"1893-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.644-1990","id":"O1115481"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.321-1978","id":"O1113318"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.612-2018","id":"O1468598"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"53.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Maximum width including fringe","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This playbilll would have been kept by a member of the audience as a souvenir of a special occasion at the theatre. The cast of the opera that evening  was Mme. Melba, Miss Lucile Hill, Mlle. Bauermeister, M. Planҫon, M. Bonnarde, M. Ghasne, M. Castelmary, M. Villani, M. Coutellier and M. Jean de Reszke. The conductor was Signor Luigi Mancinelli.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Silk programme on cream silk printed in brown ink, with photographic portraits by Walery of royalty, Dame Nelly Melba and Sir Augustus Harris in roundels. Produced as a souvenir of the State Performance of Gounod's <i>Romeo et Juliette</i> in honour of the marriage of their Royal Highnesses The Duke of York and The Princess May of Teck, with Mme Melba as Juliette, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 4 July 1893\r","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.202-1981"],"accessionNumberNum":"202","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1981,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-13","recordCreationDate":"2021-04-14","availableToBook":true}}