Candide is a vibrant, experimental, one-of-a-kind production. And it’s no different when it comes to the costumes! Designed by Nathalie Pallandre, these blend 18th century, punk and contemporary fashion in highly creative ways, and are heavily inspired by British designer Vivienne Westwood. Many of the costumes also tell a story – read on to learn more…
Our protagonist Candide can be characterised as a traveller. Catapulted from place to place throughout the plot, he sees a lot of the world, and also a lot of its horrors. Nathalie was keen to create an outfit which would showcase this sense of travel and give the impression that Candide has already travelled before the story begins. It was therefore decided that he would wear a jacket made out of jeans, all of which are vintage with considerable wear and tear. Beneath this jacket he wears a purple silk shirt and breeches. On his feet, he dons sports socks and silver heeled boots, to add touches of modern fashion and punk.
Cunégonde, meanwhile, wears multiple fabulous costumes, each accompanied by her pink wig, which gives a nod to the 18th century period. One of the most iconic outfits is her extremely sparkly chain dress, which came from high-street shop Zara! Underneath this, she wears a corset which was dyed purple, co-ordinating with Candide’s purple shirt, along with pink denim shorts and trainers. During her aria Glitter and be Gay, she is also dressed in a net petticoat and adorned with lots of dazzling jewellery. All these elements communicate Cunégonde’s love of glamour and the finer things in life.
The Narrator and Pangloss are separate characters which nevertheless blend into each other, both performed by the talented Rakie Ayola. The pair are, in a sense, both teachers, so their shared costume is somewhat formal, featuring a bronze jacket with ribbon embellishments on the arms. This gestures to the 18th century but is shorter than a traditional jacket of this period. In addition, they wear a peach-coloured silk shirt, as well as bright green patterned trousers and heeled boots. This combination merges old with new in bold, stylish ways.
Lastly, the Old Lady wears a highly unique costume: a dress made of shirts! Approximately twelve shirts, all of which came from charity shops, were used to create the dress, along with a corset and netted petticoat, which were built in to hold the shape. On her feet she wears chunky lace-up boots. The eccentricity of this outfit reflects the quirky character of the Old Lady, who has lived a long and mysterious life, a lot of which is left to our imagination. However, one thing she does tell us is that she has had many lovers over the years – perhaps this is where all the shirts she wears have come from!
What makes these costumes extra brilliant is how environmentally friendly they are. Many of the clothes worn by WNO Chorus have been used in previous productions or were found in vintage shops or on Etsy, Ebay or Vinted. Lots of fabric was also recycled to make new costumes.
Want to see these extraordinary costumes for yourself? Tonight is your last chance. Join us at Bristol Hippodrome at 7.30pm for an unforgettable performance!