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Revision as of 00:04, 2 February 2006 by Engleham (talk | contribs) (Added details of early life)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Kristian Fredrikson (1940 - November 10, 2005) was a New Zealand-born Australian stage and costume designer working in ballet, opera and other performing arts.
Fredrikson was born in Wellington as Frederick Sams. He began his career as a newspaper journalist before studying design. His first stage design was for The Wintergarden in 1963. He had a long association with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the Australian Ballet and Opera Australia. He designed operas including Lucrezia Borgia with Dame Joan Sutherland. He also worked on the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.
In 2005 he realised a long-held ambition to design all three of Peter Tchaikovsky's ballets. He designed The Nutcracker for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Swan Lake for the Houston Ballet, and The Sleeping Beauty for the Australian Ballet. The last-named was the Australian Ballet's largest ever production, requiring 300 costumes and four major sets, and was still touring at the time of Fredrikson's death.
Fredrikson died in Sydney at about age 65 of lung failure, following complications of pneumonia. He was intensely private, and never revealed his age.
Reference
- Rosalie Higson. The stage mourns a shy genius, The Australian, November 12, 2005