I recently posted a photo of the scale model of Hildegard Bechtler’s set for the first and second scenes of The Letter, which take place in the living room of the home of Leslie Crosbie, who shoots her faithless lover dead as the opera begins. Here’s the set for the third and sixth scenes, which take place in the Singapore office of Howard Joyce, Leslie’s lawyer and her husband’s best friend:
Since The Letter plays continuously without a break, the sets are designed to be changed quickly in full view of the audience. The wall unit at downstage left is rolled on from the wings.
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Anne Constable wrote a story for Sunday’s Santa Fe New Mexican that tells how the Santa Fe Opera‘s technical and property crews go about building the sets and props for the company’s productions. Needless to say, I was especially interested in the part about The Letter, but the whole piece makes for fascinating reading.
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
