The secret of the costume in which the fanatic of “Jedermann” slips at the Salzburg Festival this year has been revealed: Verena Altenberger dances in red silk chiffon and wears a trouser suit underneath. “Everyone” Lars Eidinger appears in a black Renaissance skirt, 1970s-style trousers knitted from gold thread and blue heels. Conclusion: The ensemble wears gender-fluid costumes, stylistically positioned between Renaissance, Baroque and 21st century.
The Salzburg Festival’s costume workshop has put a lot of effort into the new production of “Jedermann 2021”, which will premiere next Saturday (July 17th). “We worked between 6000 and 7000 hours on the costumes,” said costume director Jan Meier on Tuesday at the presentation of the “Best off” garments from “Jedermann”.
Past meets future
Around 90 percent of the costumes were sewn in the festival workshop. The fashion style spans several historical eras. “We take something from the past with us and look into the future,” said actress Bettina Hering. A colorful, playful potpourri of light, flowing, transparent fabrics and veils, velvet panties, pointed collars, ruffles, crocheted bonnets and high-heel shoes opens up to the viewer. “The many pointed collars are beautiful poetic set pieces on the costumes,” said Meier.
“Devil” Mavie Hörbiger doesn’t wear Prada, but a beige, heelless, huge hoof shoe. In the role of “God”, a heavy wig with 1.10 meter long, white synthetic hair rests on her head. Death, embodied by Edith Clever, appears first in a black, then in a white costume. The black figure is associated with fear and the white one with hope, said costume designer Renate Martin.
The intention was to move away from allegories and reveal new associations of characters, explained the costume designer. The high “headdress”, a crocheted bonnet, makes death “even more powerful and bigger” and with the simple dress under the lace train also “more elegant”. “If you know the actors well and know how they move on stage, then you can make good costumes.”
“Everyone” Lars Eidinger is enthusiastic about costume
“Everyone” Lars Eidinger can move around on stage in the slightly transparent knitted trousers. “Lars is very busy with his costumes,” said Martin. He suggested a fatsuit as the epitome of the rich man. From this the costume was made of light material. “He put it on and was so excited that he doesn’t want to take it off until the premiere.” “I wanted to give Verena a flying cape. She loves it. ”The costume designer bought the silk chiffon in Milan.
It was clear from the context that the indulgence was wearing a trouser suit again, said Martin. “She is not a renaissance figure. It was important that it be put back into the 21st century. A bodice is out of date for the 21st century. And she’s also a dancer, she needs to be flexible. ”For the first time, a passion in pants appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 2019 – played by the actress Valery Tscheplanowa at the time.