5 Facts About Florine Stettheimer’s Cellophane Backdrops for Four Saints in Three Acts

  1. Stettheimer designed the sets and costumes for Virgil Thomson’s 1934 opera Four Saints in Three Acts.
  2. She used cellophane for the backdrops, an innovative and unconventional material at the time.
  3. The costumes were made from colorful lace, silk, and taffeta, contrasting with the transparent cellophane.
  4. The cellophane backdrops created shimmering, reflective effects under stage lights.
  5. This design choice helped make the production visually distinctive and memorable.