New clothes for the guides at the royal theatre of Drottningholm. 
By Martin Ciszuk. Photo: Laila Durán.

When we arrive at Drottningholm by car we enter from the back side and first get a somewhat inhospitable impression. The palace theater seen from this direction is a big house with a closed façade – the main façade and the entrance faces the court yard and the garden. Well inside, a mesmerizing world of beauty reveal itself with a shimmering theater auditorium, coulisses, stage machinery, dressing rooms and parlors fully preserved from the 18th century. The interior of the rooms are made in the Swedish “gustavian” neoclassic style, in light colors and a classicistic design of simplicity.

Drottningholms Slottsteater is since 1991 on UNESCO’s list of world culture heritage. Drottningholm palace, where the Swedish royal family has its residence, was built in the 17th century by Queen Hedvig Eleonora, with Louis XIV’s Versailles as a model (Drottningholm can be translated as: the queens’ island). In the 18th century the Queen Lovisa Ulrika resided in the palace. She had wide cultural interests and called French actors to come to Sweden. The present theatre was designed by the Swedish architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, and was finished in 1766. During the reign of the “theatre king” Gustavus III the theatre had is heydays. In 1791 a foyer, the Déjeuner Salon, was constructed by Jean-Louis Desprez with a view of the garden. After the kings death the theatre was closed and left unused until it was rediscovered in the 1920-ies. The theater was renovated and now works as a living museum, where performances are made in summertime with a repertoire of 17th century music, ballet and opera.

In one of the pavilions between the palace and the theatre the costume workshop is located. The small 18th century building is full of activity all year round. While the theatre is closed in winter time, the costumes for next summer’s performances are produced, together with clothes for the orchestra and the evening hosts. The tailors Lena Dahlström and Britt Louise Jörnlöf are for the moment working on the costumes for two productions of baroque operas: Ariodante by Handel och Poppeas kröning by Monteverdi, with singers from the University college of Opera in Stockholm. The theatre is open for the public 1.May - 30. September, with guided tours for tourist groups and special arrangement for sponsors. This year also the guides will wear specially made costumes - 13 sets have been made during the winter. The inspiration for the costumes has been 18th century servants clothing. Over cotton shirts and smocks with ruffles the men will wear waistcoats and the ladies will wear petticoats and bodices in printed cotton from Durán Textiles historic textile collection.

We visited the theatre a winter day in February. A snow storm made it impossible to make any outdoor pictures with the theatre, the park and the palace, thus we hope to return in summer time with photos in these beautiful surroundings. The theatre was closed for the winter, but we spend some hours in the cold and resting salons to take pictures of the new costumes in the charming milieu where they will be used.

Links:
Drottningholms Slottsteater
Drottningholms palace
UNESCO world culture heritage list 

The crystal chandeliers are stored in the Déjeuner salon while
renovating is performed in the auditorium.
A waistcoat in printed cotton MYNTA.

Reading in the theater parlor. Waistcoat in printed cotton PUNICA,
skirt in CURRANT, bodice in KULLA.

The new costumes and the tailors in the theatre parlor. Many thanks to Lena Dahlström and Britt Louise Jörnlöf for an inspiring visit at the Drottningholm theatre and the costume workshop.

Two of the new costumes for guides: waistcoat in printed cotton MYNTA, bodice in RANKA.

Winter light in the Déjeuner salon. Waistcoat in printed cotton MYNTA, bodice in RANKA.

Servants clothing of the 18th century has been the model for the new costumes for guides at the theatre. Waistcoat in printed cotton PUNICA.

The ladies wear a cotton smock,
skirt and bodice: skirt in CURRANT, bodice in KULLA.

Lena Dahlström, tailor at the Drottningholm theater costume workshop, make fittings at the new clothes for guides on our models. Note that she is wearing the neck kerchief FOLKLORE from Durán Textiles.

Britt Louise Jörnlöf, tailor at the Drottningholm theater costume workshop, make the last adjustments for the new costumes for the guides.