UPDATE 25 October 2018: The auction generated over €48,000 which will go to fund the opera house’s activities for children and young people. “With this money, the Opera can offer performances for schools at a discounted prices,” said Anna Karinsdotter, artistic director of the Young at the Opera programme.
You might be just in time to pick up a prop or costume from The Royal Swedish Opera’s collection. Later today, 24 October, the Royal Opera in Stockholm will open the doors to its Golden Foyer, for an auction of more than 50 items, several considered to be among the most significant from the opera house’s performance history.
Among the objects is Cinderella’s carriage from Tchaikovsky’s ballet – though it might be tricky getting it through the front door – and principal dancer Anneli Alhanko’s toreador suit from the ballet The Toreador. There’s Lars Wallin’s costume for Jurgita Dronina in the ballet Gustav III. Props include the gold bars from Das Rheingold.
The Royal Swedish Opera’s costume department makes everything in house, from scratch. Each costume is sewn specifically for a role, singer or dancer.
The proceeds from the Opera’s sales and auctions go to its activities for children and young people.
Royal Swedish Opera, 24 October at 18.30; online bidding closes at 17.00.
Cinderella’s carriage
Ballet premiered 20 April 1991, with set design by David Walker and choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton. Nice picture with Marie Lindqvist and Anders Nordström, as well as dancers from the Royal Swedish Ballet. Bring the children to see and sit in Cinderella’s carriage.
Starting bid: €8,200
Principal dancer Jurgita Dronina’s costume from Gustav III
The ballet premiered on 28 March 2008. Design by Lars Wallin and choreography by Patrice Bart. Genuine Swarovski crystals on the costume. Jurgita Dronina began her career with the Royal Swedish Ballet.
Starting bid: €820
Gold bars from Das Rheingold, signed by Nina Stemme
“The gold” from the opera Das Rheingold from set designed by Bente Lykke Möller. Signed by Nina Stemme during the award ceremony for the Birgit Nilsson Prize on 11 October 2018.
Starting bid: €205
Anneli Alhanko’s costume from The Toreador
The ballet The Toreador premiered on 22 April 1978. Design by Kerstin Hedeby and choreography by Flemming Flindt.
Starting bid: €310
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.
