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Dressing the marvellous, stage costumes

Current exhibition

Immerse yourself in the enchantment of stage costumes. Opera, ballet and theatre costumes transform the castle into a veritable fairytale.

Presentation

The Centre des monuments nationaux and the Centre national du costume et de la scène (CNCS) are joining forces to present an exceptional exhibition at the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau.

Built on an island in the Indre river, close to the forest of Chinon, the château is hosting a summer exhibition of some fifteen costumes on the theme of fairy tales, enchantment and nature. Carefully selected by Delphine Pinasa, director of the CNCS, the costumes are borrowed from the ballet, opera and theatre repertoires.

The performances of Ondine, Isoline, Oberon and the famous Swan Lake are evoked by costumes created by great painters, decorators and designers.  From room to room, these costumes of kings and queens, princes and princesses, elves and fairies, taken from marvellous worlds, transform the castle.

HLM Grande salle 2©L de Serres_CMN_BD.jpg

Evening tour of the exhibition

From 10 July to 24 August, the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is offering a unique opportunity to visit the "Dressing for the Marvellous, Stage Costumes" exhibition.

As night falls, the atmosphere of the château is transformed and the magic emanating from the fairytale costumes on display is captured.

The great shows from which they originate - Isoline, Ondine, Oberon and Swan Lake - are evoked through a musical journey that invites reverie and stimulates the imagination. As they stroll along, visitors will discover extracts of music from ballets and operas, and plunge into the mysterious, fairytale world in the enchanting setting of the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau.

North facade of the château at dusk
North facade of the château at dusk

Thomas Jorion - Centre des monuments nationaux