THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET - THE ARTISANS - SWAN LAKE
BEAUTY BEHIND THE SCENES
COSTUME WORKSHOP OF THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET
The captivating realm of costume making for ballet is a wondrous art form. Each garment is meticulously crafted to embody the essence of the dance, to amplify the grace and movement of the performers, and to transport the audience into the magical world of the performance. Through a delicate blend of design, fabric selection, and intricate detailing, costume makers contribute to the visual poetry of ballet, ensuring that every twirl and leap is not only a dance but also a symphony of visual storytelling.
THEATRE - BALLET
Ballet costumes for Senior ballerina, Amy Harris for Swan Lake
The Australian Ballet
MASTER COSTUME DESIGNER - HUGH COLMAN
Hugh Colman is an honours graduate of Melbourne University and trained as a designer with the Melbourne Theatre Company. He has been a resident designer for that company, as well as for the State Theatre Company of South Australia. The major part of his career since 1970 has been working
as a freelance designer.
Hugh Colman’s designs for Swan Lake are set in the Victorian era. The scenario he worked from was intercultural marriage, seen in both the English and Russian royal families. The King dies, and with her son being too young to rule, the Queen is at a loss. With her husband gone, the chancellor manipulates her. Military references run throughout the ballet. Hugh Colman’s designs also reference the children of royal families.
The costumes of the Queen in Act III are inspired by Queen Victoria's clothes, with their sashes, borders and opulent decorations.
