John worked as an Assistant Construction Draughtsperson on the Royal Opera House’s 2019 production of Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, directed by Christof Loy with set design by Christian Schmidt.
The production featured a series of substantial architectural scenic elements that required careful development to balance the visual requirements of the design with the practicalities of construction, handling and performance.
John’s work focused principally on the construction drawings for a side room and adjoining wall, alongside a number of smaller scenic elements. The scale of the wall presented a particular challenge, with the design requiring a continuous finished surface without visible construction joints.
To achieve this, the underlying scenic structure was developed to receive a painted stretched-fabric finish, allowing the joints within the large modular construction to be concealed whilst retaining the clean architectural appearance required by the designer.
The project provided John with further experience in developing large-scale theatrical scenery, translating detailed design requirements into practical construction information for the Royal Opera House workshops.
- Director – Christof Loy
- Designer – Christian Schmidt
- Head of Construction – Mark Pursey
- Lead Draughtsperson – Nathan James
Christoph Loy’s 2019 staging feels more cogent in this, its first revival.
Tim Ashley, The Guardian
