Join our next Design Table Talk with Sculptor, Architect and Scenic Designer George Tsypin on Thursday, July 16 at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT / 5 PM PT on Zoom. You can RSVP here.
George Tsypin
George Tsypin is a sculptor, architect and designer for operas, musicals, large-scale shows and installations. He graduated from the Moscow Institute of Architecture in 1977 and the same year emerged as a prize-winner at the New and Spontaneous Ideas for the Theatre for Future Generations competition in Paris. Since 1979, he has lived and worked in New York. In 1984, he graduated in set design from New York University.
He went on to design four productions at the American National Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington. In the early 1990s, he launched his international career as an opera set designer. His opera creations have been produced worldwide, including at the Salzburg Festival, Opéra National de Paris, London's Royal Opera House, Milan's La Scala, St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre, Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre and New York's Metropolitan Opera.
He has worked for many years with directors and composers Peter Sellars, Julie Taymor, Zhang Yimou, Francesca Zambello, Pierre Audi, Jurgen Flimm, Philip Glass, John Adams, Kaija Saariaho, Andrei Konchalovsky and Baz Halpin.
On Broadway, he was the scenic designer for Walt Disney Theatrical Productions' The Little Mermaid and the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. (Tony Award Nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award). Mr. Tsypin has worked in all major theaters in America and in the 90’s expanded his work to include design for film, television, concerts as well as exhibitions and installations.
His first personal gallery exhibition took place in 1991 at the Twining Gallery in New York. He also created the Planet Earth Gallery, one of the United Kingdom’s Millennium Projects; this was a major installation of moving architectural elements, videos and two hundred sculptures. In 2002 George presented his work in a major installation at the Venice Biennale.
He was an artistic director, production designer and coauthor of the script for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.
George designed “Awakening” a groundbreaking, $150 million spectacle at Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas which premiered in November 2022. His latest project was “Great Chin” in Xi'an China. This show was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the "Largest Stage Ever Created".
“GEORGE TSYPIN OPERA FACTORY: Building in the Black Void” was published by Princeton Architectural Press in October of 2005 (Golden Pen Award); his second book, “GEORGE TSYPIN OPERA FACTORY: Invisible City” by the same publisher was released on October 18, 2016.
His amazing web site: www.georgetsypin.com
Heidi Ettinger will be returning to our Design Table Talk to lead the conversation with Mr. Tsypin. Ms. Ettinger is both a Scenic Designer and Producer for Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional and International productions. She has brought to life on Broadway ‘night Mother, Big River, The Secret Garden, Smokey Joe’s Café, Moon Over Buffalo, Triumph of Love. She was the first woman to win a Tony for Scenic Design for the musical Big River, and took home the prize again for The Secret Garden. We are especially grateful to Ms. Ettinger for lending her expertise to this Design Table Talk. You can watch Ms. Ettinger's Design Table Talk here.
This event is open to everyone (including students, colleagues, and non-members). You are encouraged to submit any questions you may have for Mr. Tsypin via the RSVP form on the Zoom page ahead of the table talk.
We look forward to gathering across all categories and regions to better understand each other’s work, celebrate artistic achievement, and continue strengthening our community and solidarity. We hope to see you there!
You can RSVP here.