Koltai, Ralph (1924- )

German-born English stage designer. He worked for the New Opera Company, London, with designs for Schoenberg's Erwartung (1960) and Henze's Boulevard Solitude (1962). His work with Sadler's Wells/the English National Opera has included designs for From the House of the Dead (1965) and a Ring cycle (1970-73) that made striking use of bleak materials. Other designs include those for the first performances of Taverner (1972) and The Ice Break (1977), both at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London; Tippett's Midsummer Marriage (1978) for Welsh National Opera; Tristan und Isolde (1973) for Scottish Opera; and Tannhäuser at Sydney (1974) and Geneva (1986).