Yoxford costume designer's studio to be sold

Michael Stennett with Dame Joan Sutherland, who was described by Luciano Pavarotti as "the voice of the century"

An "absolute goldmine" of costume and set designs by an artist who worked with opera star Dame Joan Sutherland is to be auctioned.

Michael Stennett died aged 74 in 2020, having worked from his studio in Yoxford in Suffolk.

He had partnered with opera houses around the world, and designed costumes for, among others, soprano Dame Joan and ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

The contents of his studio are be sold in Cambridge on 24 February.

Among the lots are about 300 paintings and drawings by Mr Stennett, many of which feature costume designs for performances from 1967 to 1984.

These include Le Nozze di Figaro from the Australian Opera, Swan Lake from the Malmo Ballet, Julius Caesar from the English National Opera and Werther from the Royal Opera House.

Michael Stennett made a tiara and jewellery for Glenda Jackson's role as Queen Elizabeth I

The studio house hundreds of portraits, landscapes and still lifes, the auctioneers said

The tiara and jewellery which he made for Glenda Jackson's role in the 1971 BBC drama Elizabeth R, and the model on which it sat in his studio, are among the collection.

Brett Tryner, director at auctioneer Cheffins, said: "Michael Stennett was one of the leading costume designers of the second half of the 20th century, and his work has been hugely influential on both stage and screen.

"This collection is of historic importance to the world of opera and contains countless costume designs for some of the most famous performances which were seen from the 1960s until the 1990s.

"Mr Stennett's studio was an absolute goldmine for costume and set design and whilst this was primarily what made him famous, he was also a prolific artist, creating hundreds of portraits, still lifes and landscapes, many of which will also be offered for sale."

The net proceeds of the sale will go to the charity Historic Royal Palaces.