'There are some designers who will not spend hours in the paint and costume shops, but Maria would not leave people alone until everything was right.' 'She was relentless in getting it right,' Zambello recalls. Well received at its premiere in Houston in 2003 and in New York last year, the opera was especially lauded for Bjornson's whimsical set and costume designs - a world away from what she had wrought for 'Phantom.'įrancesa Zambello, who first worked with Bjornson at London's Covent Garden in 1999, directed that production and says that although the designer didn't live to see her work executed, she had built all the set models and painted the costumes designs. At the time, she was working on the inaugural production of Rachel Portman's opera 'The Little Prince,' based on the beloved book by Saint-Exupery. The tragedy is that her credit list, though substantial, would be larger still had she not died in 2002 of natural causes at the unnaturally early age of 53. Above, Bjomsons illustration for 'Hannibal,' the opera within the opera known as 'Phantom.'ījornson's list of credits may always be headed by 'Phantom,' but her work in theater was varied and, ironically, includes far more operas and plays than musicals. Her illustrious career was cut short in 2002 when she died at age 53. You can see these costumes in person April 3 -20 in the KeyBank State Theatre at Playhouse Square.LOOK OF LOVE: Maria Bjornson designed the sets and costumes for 'The Phantom of the Opera,' her first of only three Broadway credits. This beautiful metallic dress is worn by Carlotta, the opera diva, during The Managers’ Office scene in Act One. This costume is a romanticized version of a slave girl worn by members of the ballet chorus throughout the “Hannibal” scene.

This dress was inspired by Spanish Folklore Style.Ĭhristine Daaé’s first costume in the show is a slave girl costume from the “Hannibal” Opera Scene in Act 1. Pictured above is Christine Daaé’s “Don Juan Triumphant” Costume in Act Two. For an elegant man of the Phantom’s time, after the sun goes down, this was normal attire. This iconic silk tailsuit is worn by the Phantom for throughout the show.

There are over 1,200 costume pieces used throughout each performance of The Phantom of the Opera, and the show incorporates most of her designs from the original production to date. As we inch closer to The Phantom of the Opera’s triumphant return to Playhouse Square, we thought we would dive in and take a deeper look at the incredible costumes of the show!Ĭostume designer Maria Björnson received numerous awards for The Phantom of the Opera costume designs.

Phantom of the opera costume