Peiyao Wang - Set and Costume Designer for Pegasus Opera's Double Bill

Central’s Principal Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE directs Pegasus Opera Company’s Double Bill: ‘Toutes les femmes,’ featuring Roman Fever by Philip Hagemann and The Human Voice (La Voix Humaine) by Francis Poulenc, running from 12 to 14 April at the Royal Academy of Music’s Susie Sainsbury Theatre.

To celebrate the many Central graduates who have contributed their expertise behind the scenes,  we’re launching a special blog series focusing on their work.

In this inaugural post, Peiyao Wang, a graduate of our BA (Hons) Theatre Practice - Design for Performance course and recent Linbury Prize winner, shares insights into her role as the set and costume designer for the production, offering a glimpse into her creative process.

Can you describe your role as set and costume designer for the double bill production at Pegasus Opera?

As the set and costume designer, my role is to create a visual language that articulates the story, constructs an inclusive space with elements as alive as the bodies, where all voices and creative visions can be co-inhabiting harmoniously, and to make the storytelling consistent in an artistic telescope. It is also a designer’s responsibility to reflect any infeasible ideas with creative solutions, and at the same time, without compromising on the artistic objectives.

How do you see your work impacting the overall productions? 

The first thing that always appears in my head while reading the scripts is the bodies and the zoomed-in facial expressions. Especially with such tension, twists and turns contained by both librettos - Roman Fever and La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice), I almost felt anything extra or merely decorative would be unnecessary and distractive from such raw emotions. So the design is aiming to be neat and crisp, creating a minimalistic language that is neutral and ‘emotionless’ to focus on the story and underscore their emotional journey, a landscape that isolates their emotions to its maximum.

Can you walk us through your process when starting a project of this magnitude?

The nature of a double bill production requires a set that works for both operas, so finding the common ground from both stories and setting up a mutual design language to link them up became an exciting challenge to start with. This challenge actually led me to more thoughts on translating what was present in both operas into a concise, non-figurative visual language. I had several meetings with Josette and the team to share the design and to chat about the thoughts and ideas, and the design got to be further developed with feedback from both directorial and practical perspective.

Can you discuss the collaborative process of working with the rest of the cast and crew to bring the productions to life?

Collaboration is the backbone of a successful production. Engaging in the collaborative process with many amazing Central people again in the crew is an absolute delight. The synergy among us forms the very foundation for a solid positive start. 

Our journey begins at the heart of creativity and interpretations of both stories, where Josette and I merge our visions and set the overarching tone, laying down the blueprint of our collective endeavour. These initial sparks then extend to our production team. Together, we address potential challenges, devising creative solutions to bring our design to life, ensuring that every aspect aligns with our shared vision.

Inspiration flows freely in both directions with a creative and supportive team. Each team member, with their unique perspectives and specialised expertise, contributes significantly to the narrative we aim to weave.

Are there specific lessons or skills you hope to gain from this experience of working on the Double Bill? 

I am very excited to start rehearsing and engaging to facilitate the vision with our actresses and the conductor in the room. Especially on an operatic stage, the music score is at the forefront, a vital part of delivering messages acoustically, and it is also impactful on the visual language. I am excited to push around ideas in the room to spark innovative and brilliant thoughts on an operatic scale.

How do you think Central’s BA (Hons) Theatre Practice course course has prepared you for your current role and your career thus far? 

For me personally, I think the most valuable experience out of many I have had in three years was every collaboration the course structured, which really put us together to collaborate, devise, and realise as a team. It is simply the best way to learn a designer’s role by actually doing it. And by doing it in an open environment where all creative voices and collective ideas can be heard and valued. These have shaped my commitment to collaboration and collective devises in my later works.

What do you hope audiences will take away from the productions?

Both brilliant operas serve as a powerful reminder of the duality within us — the moments that are simultaneously the most humorous and the darkest aspects of our nature. “The female gaze and centring that voice is timely”, as Josette said. We aim to offer a reflection that resonates with today’s societal narratives. The conflicts and the emotional whirlpool that exist in both operas serve as a mirror to generate thoughts on these multifaceted experiences.

Visit Pegasus Opera’s website for further details about the double bill and to book your tickets.

Discover more about Peiyao Wang and her impressive portfolio.