Opera from Foot to Foot

Proudly donned from head to toe by sultans, tsars, kings and queens in operas by Rossini, Verdi or Borodin, gold also embellishes the costumes of dancers in such ballets as Minkus’s gold-dripping La Bayadère.

As time passed and female dancers started to be expected to freeze in a romantic pose on the tips of their feet, ballet shoes with a rigid toe box became necessary. Enter pointe shoes. While they make the wearer look weightless and airy, dancing in pointe shoes requires strict discipline and intensive training.

High-heeled pumps caught the fancy of Catherine de' Medici, soon becoming a sartorial must-have for 16th-century men and women. Royal fans of the style included Louis XIV, who wore red leather soles long before Christian Louboutin.

Is it not surprising, then, to see men in heels on the opera stage. After all, they portray characters from different time periods or even different dimensions.

Andrzej Kreutz Majewski: world-famous set designer, painter and long-term chief scenographer of the Polish National Opera, where he is still remembered with almost cult-like reverence.

Without him, the opera house would not be what it is. Without him and his shoes. The shoes he designed.

Strapped ones, not the usual iron variety. When it comes to ultimate shoe challenges, the opera house’s shoemakers are without equal.

Apart from footwear for horses and donkeys, they have shoes for a faun, phantom, superhero and Mickey Mouse under their belt.

In 17th-century England the most common shoe colours were black and brown, while white footwear was donned for special occasions.

Embellishments such as buckles and bows were popularised by Charles II. The fashion spread across continental Europe, reaching the court of Marie Casimire d’Arquien, queen consort of Poland.

In 1910 the saddle shoe rose to prominence having crossed over from golf courses to the streets. The style quickly evolved into the Oxford shoe and loafer loved by men and women alike.

Another design to come into fashion were desert shoes originally worn by British officers serving in Cairo under General Montgomery.

Greek actors wore them on stage to be more visible from afar. In the 16th century Italian women took to chopines, a type of platform shoe that could be 50 cm high and rendered the wearer incapable of walking without the assistance of a trusted servant.

Platforms were ushered into haute couture by Salvatore Ferragamo as late as 1935. They were all the rage in the 1940s, then came back with a bang in the 70s during the disco era.

Earlier, the county folk would only don shoes during the cold months and in church (the actual trip would be made barefoot with the shoes in hand).

When appearing on the opera stage, however, sons and daughters of the soil always have shoes on their feet. Often they are made of best-quality leather fitted with expensive appliqués.

Dating back to the 17th century, the footwear evolved from man’s riding boots. Having made their runway debut in the 1960s, the style became a hallmark of 1970s fashion.

Just imagine the disco era without the go-go boot! The over-the-knee variety is still a favourite with performers at go-go bars.

Opera From Foot To Foot is presented in conjunction with the exhibition (Opera Gallery, Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera, 17 March – 16 May 2016)

Curator: Marcin Fedisz

Exhibition online put together by:
Maja Kluczyńska

Translated into English by:
Monika Tacikowska