A list of theatrical productions including theatre, ballet and opera, worked on by Oliver Messel thoughout his lifetime. Each listing indicates the nature of his work, e.g. costume design.

1925: Zéphyr et Flore, ballet (masks)

1926 - 1931: Various revues including This Year of Grace! and Wake Up and Dream! (masks and costumes)

1932: Helen!, play (costume and sets) and The Miracle, play (costumes)

1933: Mother of Pearl, musical (sets) and Revels in Rhythm, revue (masks)

1935: Glamorous Night, musical (sets and costumes)

1936: The Country Wife, play (costumes and sets)

1937: Francesca da Rimini, ballet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, play (both - costumes and sets)

1940: The Infernal Machine, play, and The Tempest, play (both - costumes and sets)

1942: Comus, ballet (costumes and sets), and Big Top, revue (costumes)

1945: The Rivals, play (sets and costumes)

1946: The Sleeping Beauty, ballet (costumes and sets)

1947: Die Zauberflöte, opera (costumes and sets)

1949: The Lady’s Not for Burning, play and Tough at the Top, musical (both - sets and costumes)

1950: Ring Round the Moon, play, Ariadne auf Naxos, opera, The Little Hut, play, and The Queen of Spades, opera (all - costumes and sets)

1951: Romeo and Juliet, play, and Indomeneo, opera (both - costumes and sets)

1952: Under the Sycamore Tree, play, La Cenerentola, opera and Letter from Paris, play (all - costumes and sets)

1953: Homage to the Queen, ballet (costumes and sets)

1954: The Dark is Light Enough, play, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, opera, Le Comte Ory, opera, and House of Flowers, musical (all - costumes and sets)

1955: Zémire et Azor, opera, and Le Nozze di Figaro, opera (both - costumes and sets)

1956: Die Entführung aus dem Serail, opera, and Die Zauberflöte, opera (both - costumes and sets)

1958: Breath of Spring, play, Samson, opera, and The School for Scandal, play (all - costumes and sets)

1959: Rashomon, play, Der Rosenkavalier, opera, and Le Nozze di Figaro, opera (all - costumes and sets)

1962: Ariadne auf Naxos, opera (costumes and sets)

1964: Traveller without Luggage, play (costumes and sets)

1965: Twang!!, musical (costumes and sets)

1973: Gigi, musical (costumes)

1976: The Sleeping Beauty, ballet (costumes and sets reworked)

 

A list of films worked on by Oliver Messel throughout his lifetime. Each listing indicates the nature of his work, e.g. costume design.

1934: Private Life of Don Juan, Dir. Alexander Korda (costumes)

1934: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Dir. Harold Young (costumes)
1936: Romeo and Juliet, Dir. George Cukor (co-designed costumes and sets)
1940: The Thief of Baghdad, Dir. Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger and Tim Whelan (co-designed costumes)
1945: Caesar and Cleopatra, Dir. Gabriel Pascal (costumes, props and art direction)
1946: Carnival, Dir. Stanley Haynes (costumes for ballet sequence)

1949: Queen of Spades, Dir. Thorold Dickinson (set and costumes)
1959: Suddenly, Last Summer, Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz (set and costumes)

 

To find out more about any of the productions above please search our online catalogue here. 

 

These resources are kindly supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

 

‌