OUGD503 - YCN - Royal Opera House Brief - Armin Hofmann/Giselle

Summary:

'Giselle is a haunting story of innocence and betrayal, a timeless tale about the redemptive power of love. Moving from the sunny optimism of Giselle’s idyllic village life to a moonlit world of mystery and menace, Mary Skeaping’s production of Giselle features some of ballet’s most dramatic scenes and otherworldly images. Adolphe Adam’s score, performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic, adds to the lush atmosphere.' - http://www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/giselle/

1959 poster for an outdoor performance of the classical ballet, Giselle.

The poster by Armin Hofmann is iconic of the Swiss design style.

Communicates authenticity as the professional form of the ballerina is clear. The typesetting is playful yet objective which makes it easier for the audience to interpret the content. Perhaps Hofmann created this composition to create a tension between the text and image due to the tight margin which is reminiscent of the physical movements in ballet. 

Another example of Hofmann's influential typographic style:

The contrast in type weights and size helps to create a hierarchy of information, as well as the large amount of white space which creates authority. This is important for a poster because it will need to be legible over a range of sizes and distances, therefor the contrasting colour scheme is appropriate for increased legibility.