Model, Macbeth

Staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria

“The design for Ernest Bloch’s opera of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth was based on a revolving mirrored illusion box. Its rotations evoked Macbeth’s churning conscience. We conjured scenes through smoke and mirrors. A half-bed wedged against a mirror appeared as a single whole, while Macbeth and his wife were duplicated. The illusion of a whole banquet full of guests overlaid their machinations as the box turned.”

—Es Devlin

A line drawing of a person dressed in loose clothes sitting on a life-like black cube with white and red marks. Below the photo of the drawing is the number 30 followed by handwritten text.
Es Devlin, Study, Macbeth, Mixed media on paper.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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Black square with a white bathtub in the center. A yellowish circle overlaps the top of the square from which red appears to flow down into the bathtub filling it. Below the square is the number 27 followed by handwritten text.
Es Devlin, Study, Macbeth, Mixed media on paper.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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A small white silhouette of a seated figure obstructs the bottom of a large red rectangle that has organic and circular black designs. Above the rectangle toward the left “prologue” is written in uppercase letters. Below the rectangle is the number 2 followed by handwritten text.
Es Devlin, Study, Macbeth, Mixed media on paper.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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A large black trapezoidal structure houses a white dining table and chairs with a group of people dressed in suits. The structure sits on a flat surface and is surrounded by a yellow, hazy atmosphere. A person, closer to the viewer than the rest, is in the bottom left corner facing the viewer.
Production photograph, Macbeth
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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Side view of a large black trapezoidal structure housing a white dining table with the chairs leaning against it. A person runs across the room which is filled with a warm, hazy atmosphere. The structure is surrounded by dark blue light and clouds.
Production photograph, Macbeth
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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White model of a trapezoidal structure with white light glowing from inside, illuminating a bed, figure, and chairs.
Es Devlin, Model, Macbeth, Paint on MDF, acrylic mirror, and LED, recreated for exhibition.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Photo: Elliot Goldstein © Smithsonian Institution
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White model of a trapezoidal structure with a mirrored wall and white light glowing from inside, illuminating a bed and two figures standing on different sides of the space.
Es Devlin, Model, Macbeth, Paint on MDF, acrylic mirror, and LED, recreated for exhibition.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Photo: Elliot Goldstein © Smithsonian Institution
Read More
White model of a trapezoidal structure with a mirrored wall and white light glowing from inside, illuminating two figures sitting at opposite ends of a dining table.
Es Devlin, Model, Macbeth, Paint on MDF, acrylic mirror, and LED, recreated for exhibition.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Photo: Elliot Goldstein © Smithsonian Institution
Read More
Drawing of several figures gathered around a trapezoidal structure with figures and forms within; beneath are several lines of handwritten text.
Es Devlin, Study, Macbeth, Graphite on paper.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
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Drawing of a person lying in a bathtub filled with black and red all of which is inversely reflected in skewed proportions in a circle above. Below the photo of the drawing is the number 28 followed by handwritten text.
Es Devlin, Study, Macbeth, Mixed media on paper.
By Ernest Bloch, after William Shakespeare, staged 2003, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
Courtesy of Es Devlin
Read More