Art is not imitation, but vision.
- Dr. Alexander Hevesi, stage director
The READY.SET
In 2019, VHO held an International Design Competition, looking to redefine what a set can be: modular, reconfigurable, transportable, affordable and design-forward.
The winning design by Charlottesville-based architect Yimeng Teng debuted in our 2019 production of Haydn’s Armida, and was also employed in Fat Pig in 2022 and Orpheus & Erica in 2023. The READY.SET will continue to be reconfigured and refined in future VHO productions.
The READY.SET is largely made of furniture-grade, high-strength PVC pipe, which comes in many colors and with many types of fittings. A READY.SET can be assembled or reconfigured in minutes, no tools required!
Scroll down to see some production photos of the READY.SET in action, set design sketches, illustrations of the design elements, and example configurations (the possibilities are unlimited…)
Orpheus & Erica
Orpheus & Erica
Armida
Orpheus & Erica
Armida
Fat Pig set design sketch
Fat Pig set design sketch
Fat Pig set design sketch
The 2019 READY.SET International Set Design Competition was supported by VMDO Architects, The Music Academy of the West Alumni Enterprise Awards, and the Tom Tom Festival.
