When it comes to set design we probably do not realise the huge role it plays in an opera. To define set designing and its importance, let’s see,very roughly,the process the designer goes through to build the live scene we enjoy at the performance.

Starting off with the brainstorming of visual representation, the designer immerses himself/herself into the play, the script & the libretto, amongst intensive discussions with the director. Next step, is the development of the ideas. A scale model 1:25 of the theatre space is used along with the white card model. The next and final step is the production, which includes an agreement for the cost of the materials, actually building the set, finding props and lightings and involves several people.

For this important role and with no further due, we are delighted to announce the person who will create this ‘magic’ for City of Humanity 1, Ms. Nicky Shaw!

Nicky is an international set and costume designer living in London with great experience and will be one of our valuable team members in our production.

She received her training in West Sussex & West Surrey Colleges of Art & Design.

Her experience is involved around leading opera companies from UK (including, Royal Opera House; Scottish Opera; Welsh National Opera; Glyndebourne Opera and Garsington Opera) and the rest of Europe & the World (including, Royal Danish Opera; Danish National Opera; Royal Swedish Opera; Komische Oper; Frankfurt Oper; Mariinsky Theatre; and Théatre Royal de la Monnaie), as-well-as productions in Seoul, South Korea (Opera Theatre and Towol Theatre).

She has collaborated on many operas with the director and intendant Annilese Miskimmon (Artistic Director of Norwegian National Opera) and together, they have produced many critically acclaimed productions together in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden. Their recent credits include, Semele, Garsington Opera; Jenufa, Royal Swedish Opera, Danish National Opera and for Scottish Opera (nominated for Achievement in Opera, UK Theatre Awards) and Madama Butterfly, Glyndebourne Tour: also, La Traviata (joint winner The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre), Scottish Opera; Don Quichotte (winner of the Audience Award and Best Production Award, Performing Arts Centre Aarhus and Newspaper Stiftidende’s), Danish National Opera; Mignon (nominated Best Opera, South Bank Sky Awards), Buxton Opera Festival and also The Magic Flute, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Coronation of Poppea (all nominated Best Opera, Irish Times).

Nicky has recently worked with director Orpha Phelan on their critically acclaimed production of Dead Man Walking (winner Best Opera, Reumart Awards 2017), Royal Danish Opera. In addition, she has also collaborated on several productions with international opera directors Keith Warner; Orfeo, ROH at Sam Wanamaker Theatre; Peter Pan, WNO, ROH and Komische Oper and with Stephen Medcalf; Norma, Teatro Lirico, Sardinia. Also, for international musical director Paul Garrington, she designed the new musical Dancing Shadows (winner 5 Korean Musical Awards, including Best Musical)Opera Theatre, Seoul, and with whom Nicky founded Toye Productions.

For Toye Productions in addition to designing sets and costumes, she produced/co-produced four new plays. The first, a devised one-woman show of works named Take The Fire by Jean Cocteau, which starred Amanda Harris at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith; the other three productions were by acclaimed playwright and poet Glyn Maxwell (2 of which were world premieres).

Nicky was production & costume designer on short film Assessment (winner – Jury Award, Film London’s Best of Borough), designed the studio set for The Score, BBC2 and was the associate set designer to artist Bruce McLean on The Empress (by Orlando Gough), Channel 4.