Bjornson, Maria (1949–2002)

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Bjornson, Maria (1949–2002)

English set and costume designer. Name variations: Maria Bjørnson. Born Feb 16, 1949, in Paris, France; grew up in London; died Dec 13, 2002, in London, England; dau. of Mia Prodan (Romanian who worked in the BBC Romanian service at Bush House) and Bjorn Bjornson (Norwegian businessman); granddau. of Bjornstjerne Bjornson (who won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1903); studied at Glen Byam Shaw School and Central School of Art and Design; never married.

Began designing career at Glasgow Citizens Theater; won Tony Awards for set and costumes for Phantom of the Opera (1988); designed for Francesca Zambello's production of Don Giovanni at Royal Opera House (2001) and Troyens at Metropolitan Opera (2002); also designed for Royal Shakespeare Company's The Tempest, Welsh National Opera's Janacek cycle, From the House of the Dead, Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty, among many others.

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