Design for Death in Venice

Details

John Piper, C.H. (1903-1992)
Design for Death in Venice
signed 'John Piper' (lower left)
gouache, pen, pencil, pastel, watercolour, bodycolour and brush and black ink
15 x 22 in. (38 x 55.8 cm.)
Executed circa 1973

Provenance

Given to the present owner's father by the Financial Times.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The present work relates to a series of set designs for Benjamin Britten's opera, Death in Venice, with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper. First performed in June 1973 at The Maltings in Snape by the English Opera Group, the production toured to Venice, Brussels, Edinburgh, The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. It was subsequently revived at The Maltings and Covent Garden in 1975 and additional projections and cloths were designed.

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