My thesis, completed in the midst of the 2020 Pandemic, consisted of a theoretical Costume Design for the seminal opera bouffe by Jacques Offenbach.  In the accompanying research paper, entitled Uncovering Offenbach:  Interpreting an Early Modern Master for a Contemporary Audience, I presented the historic background and cultural context of the work of Offenbach and the significance of his legacy in the development of the Opera Bouffe genre as well as later forms of popular musical theatre.  To do so, I examined the cross-cultural, globalized appeal of his work that defined him as a modern artist and makes his work all the more relevant for today’s audiences.  With this in mind, I sought to create a context for my design by conceptualizing the “world of the play” of La Vie that is best suited for conveying it to a contemporary audience.  The following is the visual exploration and renderings that resulted.