American author and illustrator (1959–2023)
Ian Woodward Falconer (August 25, 1959 – March 7, 2023) was an American author and
illustrator of
children's books as well as a
designer of sets and
costumes for the theater. He created 30 covers for
The New Yorker and also for other publications. He wrote and illustrated the
Olivia series of children's books, chronicling the adventures of a young pig, a series initially conceived as a
Christmas gift for a young niece of his.
Theater designs
Falconer was active in the world of theater design. In 1987, he assisted the artist
David Hockney with the costume designs for the
Los Angeles Opera 's production of Richard Wagner's
Tristan Und Isolde ; in 1992 he assisted Hockney with the
Chicago Lyric Opera 's production of Puccini's
Turandot .
[1] In 1992, Falconer designed the costumes (Hockney designed the sets) for
The Royal Opera 's production of
Richard Strauss '
Die Frau ohne Schatten at
Covent Garden .
[2]
In 1996, Falconer designed the set for
The Atlantic Theater 's production of
The Santaland Diaries , written by
David Sedaris . The theater critic for
The New York Times ,
Ben Brantley , wrote "The cartoon cutout set by Ian Falconer looks totally chic in its monochromatic grayness."
[3]
In 1999, Falconer designed scenery and costumes for the
Boston Ballet 's production of
Igor Stravinsky 's The Firebird , choreographed by
Christopher Wheeldon . In the same year, he designed the sets for
Scènes de Ballet . In 2001 he designed the sets and costumes for
Felix Mendelssohn 's
Variations sérieuses . Wheeldon choreographed for both productions of the
New York City Ballet .
[4] In 2002, Falconer designed the sets and costumes for Stravinsky's
Jeu de Cartes , choreographed for the New York City Ballet by
Peter Martins .
In 2008, Falconer designed the sets and oversaw the installation for the operetta
Veronique at the
Théâtre du Châtelet in
Paris . Francis Carlin, a critic, noted, "Ian Falconer’s clever play-off between background film and lavish sets climaxes in a stunning society ball."
[5] Beginning with the 2015 season, the
Pacific Northwest Ballet 's
The Nutcracker features costumes and sets designed by Falconer.
[6]
Personal life and death
Ian Woodward Falconer was born on August 25, 1959 in
Ridgefield, Connecticut .
[6] He graduated from
The Cambridge School of Weston ; he studied art history at
New York University before transferring to the
Parsons School of Design and the
Otis Art Institute .
[7] He was gay.
[8]
[9] According to
Tom Ford , a designer and filmmaker, Falconer's boyfriends included the artist
David Hockney
[10] and Ford himself.
[11]
[12] Ford said in interviews that he and Falconer were good friends since then. Decades after their breakup, Ford used Falconer's surname for the title character of
A Single Man , his 2009 film (based on Christopher Isherwood's novel, in which the title character has no surname).
[13]
Falconer lived in
Rowayton, Connecticut , a village within the city of
Norwalk . He died from
kidney failure in Norwalk on March 7, 2023, at the age of 63.
[6]
[14]
Written works
In the
Olivia series:
Olivia (New York:
Atheneum Books for Young Readers , 2000)
Olivia Saves the Circus (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001)
Olivia's Opposites (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002)
Olivia Counts (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002)
Olivia...and the Missing Toy (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003)
Teatro Olivia (New York: Rizzoli Universe Promotional Books, 2004)
Olivia Forms a Band (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006)
Dream Big (starring Olivia) (New York: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2006)
Olivia Helps with Christmas (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007)
Olivia Goes to Venice (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010)
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012)
Olivia's ABC (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014)
Olivia the Spy (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017)
Awards
Caldecott Honor for Olivia , 2000
Parents' Choice 2000, Gold Award Winner
Nick Jr. Books, Best Book of 2001
American Library Association, Notable Children's Books of 2001, for Olivia .
Child's Best Book of 2001
Los Angeles Times Best Books of 2000 & 2001
Publishers Weekly , Best Books of 2000 & 2001
American Library Association, Notable Children's Books of 2002, for Olivia Saves the Circus .
BookSense Illustrated Children's Book of the Year , 2002, for Olivia Saves the Circus .
Child Magazine's Best Children's Book Award in 2006, for Olivia Forms a Band
Voted "Favorite Illustrator" for Olivia Helps with Christmas by over 50,000 children at the Children's Choice Book Awards, 2008
References
[15]
[16]
^ Edward Rothstein, "For a new 'Turandot,' Sets by Hockney," The New York Times , January 4, 1992.
^ John Rockwell, "The Talk of London," The New York Times , November 30, 1992.
^ Ben Brantley, "Reluctant Elf Adrift in Macy's Yule," The New York Times , November 8, 1996.
^ John Leland, "At Home with Ian Falconer," The New York Times , December 6, 2001.
^ Francis Carlin, "Véronique, Châtelet, Paris," Financial Times , January 24, 2008.
^
a
b
c Genzlinger, Neil (March 8, 2023).
"Ian Falconer, Creator of Olivia, the Energetic Piglet, Dies at 63" .
The New York Times . Retrieved March 8, 2023 .
^
Library of Congress Authorities cites for full name and date of birth
Cataloging in Publication data provided in 2000
[1] . Retrieved 2015-09-28.
^ "'StageStruck' Exhibit Featuring Gay and Lesbian Broadway Design Talent Begins Nov. 14" by Adam Hetrick, Playbill Magazine, November 14, 2007,
http://www.playbill.com/article/stagestruck-exhibit-featuring-gay-and-lesbian-broadway-design-talent-begins-nov-14-com-145399
^
"He's a pig success: Illustrator Ian Falconer dazzles children with his best-selling books starring Olivia the pig. - Free Online Library" . www.thefreelibrary.com . Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^
"Tom Ford: Immaculate Conception" . www.telegraph.co.uk . 18 January 2010. Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^
"Tom Ford, The Marquis de Sex" . GQ . 2004-11-01. Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^
"Filmmaker Magazine | Winter 2010: A Single Man - Interview with Direcor Tom Ford" . filmmakermagazine.com . Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^
"The Visionary Tom Ford" . www.advocate.com . Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^ Mouly, Françoise (7 March 2023).
"Remembering Ian Falconer, the New Yorker Artist and Author of the "Olivia" Books" . The New Yorker . Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^
"Ian Falconer" . Kidsreads. Retrieved 2015-09-26 .
^ Minzesheimer, Bob (October 6, 2003).
"Oink if you love 'Olivia' " . USA Today (usatoday.com) . Retrieved 2015-09-26 .
External links
International National Academics Artists Other