LOVE AND REBELLION IN FLANDERS

by: Lucia Cabanova

The Belgian fashion duo An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx has recently designed the costumes for the current Flanders Opera production of Le Duc d’Albe. The opera takes place at the beginning of the Flemish rebellion against Spanish ruling and the Duke of Alba is sent to Flanders to repress this uprising.

Sketch by A.F.Vandevorst, courtesy of blog.momu.be

Gaetano Donizetti originally composed Le Duc d’Albe for the Opera in Paris in 1839 but never finished it. Now, in 2012, the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli got the chance to follow through to the end with Donizetti’s work and finished the piece. It is for sure exciting to see an old opera with a new, fresh result. The fact that the costumes are designed by the renowned fashion duo A.F. Vandevorst certainly gives a boost to this particular opera production. With the exception of the lead actress, all of the women are dressed in menswear and have a very militant look. This being said, the A.F. Vandevorst style and aesthetic is evidently apparent in the ensemble of the extraordinary garments, and fit in just right with the story of the opera.

Picture by Annemie Augustijns, courtesy of vlaamseopera.be

This production of Le Duc d’Albe has just moved from Antwerp to Ghent and will be showing until the beginning of June this year.