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Lydia Watt
Scene Design - Realized - Spring Opera Double Bill: "Sophie Arnould" and "L'heure Espagnole"
Concept for Sophie Arnould: The Garden of the Past
Sophie Arnould is mostly about nostalgia, past romance, but also moving forward. Sophie enjoys her simple country life in retirement, but she does miss the joys of her performing past and all the suitors she had. There is one lover in particular, her first, that she misses the most. She references the past as “a garden of delights.” The idea was "what if the space she resides in reflects her dwelling in the past." So there is a bunch of floral or greenery motifs within the set, as well as outside.
Concept for L'heure Espagnole: A Whimsical Mechanism
We wanted to have a completely different look for the second opera. L’heuere Espagnole is supposed to be light, silly, and fun. The original inspiration for Espagnole was actually Dr. Seuss imagery because of its colorful, illustrative, and whimsical qualities. There’s a line that references women as mechanisms. That’s also what inspired the hanging gear pieces above the playing space.
Production Photos
Sophie Arnould
© Lydia Watt
L'heure Espagnole
© Lydia Watt
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
Sophie Arnould
© Peter Mueller
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