Neemranas latest operatic production If I Were King comes dressed in exotic costumes When French costume designer Dominique Pichou took up the task of designing outfits for Neemranas three-act opera,If I Were King,he knew he would need some local collaborators to help him along,especially with the parts that dealt with India. It was then that Francis Wacziarg of Neemrana told him about two young Delhi-based designers,Parvesh and Jai. Pichou and the duo got together and started weaving a series of fantastic garments for the production slated to debut at the Siri Fort Auditorium on January 12. Since our student days,we have had a flair for melodrama, says Jai Prakash Singh,29. Unfortunately,its not something one can do on a regular basis when one has to design collections. This opera gave us the opportunity to indulge our whims. If I Were King,an opera by the 19th century French composer Adolphe Adam,does have plenty of scope for playing to the gallery. The opera is set in Goa and tells the tale of a young fisherman,Zephoris,who falls in love with the princess Nemea. Its only when fate conspires to make Zephoris king for a day that he is able to declare his love for her. The opera,which will be directed by Jean-Francois Vinciguerra,has apparently not been performed in France for two decades. Depending on its reception in the Capital,it will travel to Mauritius,followed by tours in Europe . The three designers have created about 300 costumes,from sherwanis to boleros,for the over 160-strong cast. Each set of characters has a particular kind of outfit and a fixed colour pattern. For example,the soldiers will be dressed in cargo pants and red coats,while the king will mostly wear single colours, says Singh. Since the opera is not set in any particular time frame,we have had a free hand in thinking up the look. Its part traditional,part modern and part fantastic, says Pichou,who has conceived of the basic look of the characters. For their part,Parvesh and Jai have been researching on ways to make the clothes stand out. We began around September,and have drawn from various traditions to make it more animated. We wanted the look to be authentic so we picked some vintage stuff and re-fashioned it, says Singh. The two have also used techniques like chandbadli the art of creating jewellery with cloth and crystals similar to the ones used in Rasleela,and in temples in Mathura and Vrindavan. The work is so vivid and intricate that from a distance it looks like gold, he adds. When I got together with Parvesh and Jai,I was looking for precisely this kind of inputs, says Pichou. I am not conversant with Indian traditions and outfits,so they chipped in with the finer points. Besides,they know the city so well that its easier for them to scour for materials. Some of the outfits in the comic opera have also got a quirky modern twist. If in one scene the king of Goa will be seen donning shorts and a silk kurta while playing golf,in another princess Nemea will be sporting a pair of yellow denims. Its set in Goa,after all, laughs Pichou. With the focus firmly on clothes,an exhibition of sketches,called The Emperors New Clothes,will be on at the Alliance Francaise from January 8 to 15. The opera will be held from January 12 to 15 at Siri Fort auditorium. Contact: 407751774
