SET DESIGN FOR ADRIANA LECOUVREUR
signed Beaton lower right
gouache, pen and brown ink heightened with white on grey paper
28.5 x 48cm; 11 1/4 x 19in
48 x 66cm; 11 1/4 x 26in (framed)

Property from a Private Collection, West London

Provenance
Wright Hepburn Gallery, London
Lorna St Aubyn, London (Lorna St Aubyn, 1929-2005, was the second wife of surgeon Roger St Aubyn (1906–1985). After the death of her husband she wrote a series of books on dealing with life and facing death. Her son is the author and journalist Edward St Aubyn, creator of the Patrick Melrose novels.)
A gift from the above to the present owner in 1993

Cecil Beaton was invited by the impressario Rudolf Bing, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera House, New York from 1950-72, to design the stage set and costumes for the company's 1962 production of Adriana Lecouvreur. The opera by Francesco Cilea, with libretto by Arturo Colautti was first performed in Milan in 1902 and first premiered at the Met in 1907. But due to labour strikes the Met's 1961-2 season was cancelled and Beaton was paid off for his work on the production. The opera was eventually staged at the Met the following year with a scaled back set design and Renata Tebaldi in the title role.