Biography

Yannis Thavoris studied at the School of Architecture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and at the Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design. He was the winner of the 1997 Linbury Prize for Stage Design.

His recent designs include: Tosca (Nederlandse Reisopera); Orestes (National Theatre of Northern Greece at the Epidaurus Festival); Hansel and Gretel, Cendrillon (Royal Northern College of Music); L’elisir d’amore (Den Jyske Opera); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sibelius Academy); La finta giardiniera (Royal College of Music / Buxton Festival); Alcina (Royal Academy of Music); Der Fliegende Holländer (Estonian National Opera); I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Buxton Festival).

Also Ariodante, The Lady from the Sea, Orlando, Madama Butterfly (Scottish Opera); La donna del lago (costumes, ROH); Tosca (Santa Fe Opera); Rigoletto (National Opera Bucharest); Pelléas et Mélisande (Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires).

Future plans include Otello (Theater Magdeburg); Roberto Devereux (sets – Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe); Roméo et Juliette (Estonian National Opera).

The dubious and outdated sexual politics of the opera, based on a play by Carlo Goldoni, led us to view it through the tropes of a 1970s Italian TV sitcom, replete with appropriately naff filmed opening credits and several garish wallpapered interiors.

The two revolving structures of the set allowed for quick and efficient scene changes between these spaces, all hidden from the audience until the very last one, when the Curious Women finally manage to find a way to tumble into the mysterious exclusive club where their husbands pass their time.