8 Songs for a Mad King
Production Design (1st Year Project)
"8 Songs for a Mad King" is a surrealist opera that explores the descent into madness of King George III. Created by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, it delves into his inner thoughts, hallucinations, and the chaos of his mind as he mentally deteriorates further with each song.
Song 7: Jenny's Teasing Song is a pivotal movement that showcases the King's vulnerability and susceptibility to manipulation due to his deteriorating mental state. In this song, Jenny, a bird handler, taunts and teases the King, taking advantage of his fragile mental condition.
Visually the scene is told by the King being the centrepiece of a banquet table, with crow-humanoid creatures picking at his lifeless body as he watches from an outside perspective. This is a brief moment of clarity in the story.
Concept Drawings
Production Design/ Set Dressing/ Prop sourcing: Ilona Kohnke
King George Costume: Elli Dillon,
Makeup: Suzie Armstrong, Sasha McMorough
Other small details I helped with include painting the violins and painting woodgrain on the dresser.
