Designer of the Month - ROBERT PERDZIOLA

Set Designer and Costume Designer

ROBERT HAS DESIGNED SETS AND COSTUMES FOR THE METROPOLITAN OPERA, LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO, AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE, BOSTON BALLET, SAN FRANCISCO BALLET, OPERA MONTE CARLO, GARSINGTON OPERA, STRATFORD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, SAN FRANCISCO OPERA, SANTA FE OPERA, OPERA THEATRE OF SAINT LOUIS, FORT WORTH OPERA, OPERA BOSTON, GLIMMERGLASS OPERA, MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC, AND THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL OF DRAMA.

Robert Perdziola work designing sets and costumes spans genres - theater, opera and dance. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Carnegie Mellon, he has designed sets and costumes for some of the most well-known opera houses in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and San Francisco Opera. His theatre work has included designs on & Off-Broadway and for Signature Theatre, Arena Stage and the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC. Robert's designs for ballet include sets and costumes for American Ballet Theatre’s Pillar of Fireand Le Spectre de la Rose, scenery designs for Miami City Ballet’s The House of Bernarda Alba, and sets and costumes for San Francisco Ballet’s Reflections of Saint Joan.

Robert is the recipient of numerous Helen Hayes Awards & nominations in Outstanding Costume Design and the TDF/Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. Additionally, he has been nominated for a Benois de la Danse Award in 2019 for his design for American Ballet Theatre’s Harlequinade .

His most recent work can be see at the Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker" and "Spring Experience" and at the Des Moines Metro Opera in 2025. Keep an eye out for Robert's upcoming projects.

SHOP ROBERT PERDZIOLA ON BROADWAY DESIGN EXCHANGE

Fitting at American Ballet Theatre

Spotlight on ROBERT PERDZIOLA

BDEX recently sat down to chat with Robert. Here are some interesting excerpts from our conversation with him.

What was the first production/company to feature your designs?
I designed sets and costumes for THE NOSE by Shostakovich at the Santa Fe Opera, directed by Lou Galterio. This was the first major company in the US that I designed for.

What/who inspire you?
Baroque stage design, John Singer Sargent, the Ballet Russes, Van Gogh, Lila de Nobili

Any mentors? John Cox, John Copley, Keith Baxter, Franco Zeffirelli, Santo Loquasto, Desmon Heeley, Alexei Ratmansky

Favorite show or company you designed for?
Working at the Metropolitan Opera was a great highpoint for me. And on the same stage designing for American Ballet Theatre. At the Met, I came to know David Kneuss. David took me to Japan to do many productions in Kyoto and Nishinomiya.

Favorite time period to dress for?
Somewhere in the 19th century.

Fun facts to share on your career, life, style?
I love my partner, my dog, our house and foreign cruises. We enjoy PBS.

Any unique habits/rituals when designing a production?
Every production is different. Even when I do a new production of the same opera, I begin it differently than before. I think when you go to the theatre and you tell a story, of course you need a stage picture, an environment. But the focus for me must be on the actor, dancer, singer. They are the centerpiece for me. So I spend a good bit of time going into character with a director.

To learn more on Robert and his work, you can follow him on social media on Instagram @robertperdziola and on Facebook.