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Designing ‘The Firebird’ ballet
Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokine’s ballet ‘The Firebird’ has been danced for over a century. Over the years, the crew behind each new interpretation have reimagined its design.
Here you can see the difference between the 1919 costume design and the 1950s tutu for the same role. The objects highlight the many skills needed to produce a dance performance, like dividing the design for the backcloth into
a grid to make it easier to enlarge for the stage.
Written by:Jane Pritchard, Curator of Theatre & Performance
Published: May 2025
Sourcebook for Design
- Museum Number
- S.751-2000
- Description
- Firebird
- Artist/Maker
- Natalia Goncharova
- Location and Date
- Great Britain, 1926
- Materials/Techniques
- Pencil, Ink, Tracing paper, Paper, Drawing (image-making)
- Museum Number
- S.59-1988
- Description
- Tamara Karsavina as the Firebird in Mikhail Fokine's ballet 'L'Oiseau de feu'
- Artist/Maker
- Allinson, Adrian Paul (ROI, RBA)
- Location and Date
- Great Britain, ca. 1918
- Materials/Techniques
- Oil colour, Hardboard, Painting
- Museum Number
- S.1136-1982
- Description
- Firebird
- Artist/Maker
- White, Ethelbert
- Location and Date
- Great Britain, ca. 1919
- Materials/Techniques
- Pencil, Paint, Paper (fiber product), Drawing (image-making)
- Museum Number
- S.666-1996
- Description
- Firebird
- Artist/Maker
- Unknown
- Materials/Techniques
- Satin, Shoe-making
- Museum Number
- S.647&A-1983
- Description
- Firebird
- Artist/Maker
- Manya (Mlle)
- Date
- ca. 1950
- Materials/Techniques
- Velvet, Tarlatan, Net (textile), Sequins, Glass, Feathers, Metal, Sewing