Signed original costume design by renowned American costume and scenic designer, Zack Brown.

This costume was designed for the character 'Bess' in the landmark 1987 Spoleto Festival Melbourne production of George Gershwin's opera 'Porgy and Bess'. The cast included 50 black American singers chosen from auditions held in New York and Washington.

The cast were measured in the USA and the designs were sent to Australia to be produced by five different costume companies.

This is the original watercolour and pencil sketch for Bess - in Act ll Scene ll - with hand written title, signed and dated by the artist.

"Bess - Kittiwah Island - Porgy & Bess - Spoleto/Melbourne 1997"

The picture measure 34cm x 27cm (image area) with frames 40cm x 32.5. It comprises a colour costume illustration with an inset pencil sketch of the back of the costume. It is in very good vintage condition, bright and not faded, protected in original plastic sleeve.

Designer of both sets and costumes, Zack Brown was born in Honolulu in 1949 and became one of the world's most versatile and celebrated theatrical designers, with an international career that has spanned broadway, opera, ballet and television.

He has received two Emmy Awards for San Francisco Opera's La Gioconda, and an Emmy nomination for his costume designs for WNET's Mourning Becomes Electra.

Brown was awarded the Robert L. B. Tobin Award  in the 2018 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards, in recognition of a career so distinguished that his work is an example to all of the beauty, feeling and empathy that a designer creates through true mastery of his or her art.

Listed here separately: "Bess # 1 - Porgy & Bess - Spoleto/Melbourne 1987"