The early history and development of opera
The origins of opera, its development from royal entertainments in 17th-century Italy and France and the early hist…
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The history of opera in England
The story of opera in England in the 19th and 20th century, how it changed over this time, important opera houses, …
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18th-century opera
The 18th century saw an explosion of opera across Europe. Opera houses were built in all the major European cities …
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19th-century opera
A succession of great divas dominated opera from the mid 19th century and no male singer could match their populari…
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Prompt book for 'Radamisto' by George Friedrich Handel
View high-resolution, zoomable facsimile of prompt book for the opera Radamisto by George Friedrich Handel. This pr…
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Archives of Sir Hugh Casson and Margaret Macdonald Casson
The archives of Sir Hugh Casson (1910–1999) and Margaret Macdonald Casson (1913–1999) are important additions to th…
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D'Oyly Carte prompt books
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company prompt books used in Savoy theatre productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the lat…
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Wartime entertainment
World War II (1939–45) saw a surge of interest in the arts. Many civilian and military audiences experienced drama, opera and ballet for the first time. Unlike audiences in World War I (1914–18) who needed escapism, the audiences of the 1940s were looking for something more.
Designing stage costumes
A much-repeated cliché is that theatre costumes are badly made, tawdry, unfinished and don’t bear close inspection. Yet only in close-up can the inventiveness and resourcefulness of designer and maker be really appreciated.
King Phillip costume by unknown designer for 'Don Carlos', 1950
The costume made for the great bass singer Boris Christoff as King Philip, is of the highest quality satin and velvet, which play against each other, creating a textural variety under the lights.
The closure of theatres in the 17th century
In 1642 civil war broke out in England and theatres were closed to prevent public disorder. The theatres remained closed for 18 years, causing considerable hardship to professional theatre performers, managers and writers. Illegal performances were only sporadic and many public theatres were demolished.
Pluto costume by Gerald Scarfe for 'Orpheus in the Underworld', 1985
Gerald Scarfe is best-known as a savagely brilliant cartoonist, but he has designed several theatrical productions in his career.
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Covent Garden Opera House (Custom Print)
Covent Garden Opera House, The Colonnade, by Walter John Bayes (1869 - 1956).
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