Nicola Benois

Nicola Alexandrovich Benois (, 2 May 1901 – 31 March 1988 ) was a stage designer, known for his work as principal scenographer and costume designer at La Scala in Milan.

Education and early career Nicola was the son of Alexandre Benois, an influential artist, critic, historian and stage designer. He was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where his father was the costume designer of the Mariinsky Theatre, the imperial opera house. The family lived in their grand mansion near the opera house, which was built by his grandfather Nikolai Benois. Nicola studied art and design under his father before attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Saint Petersburg.

After working as scenographer and set designer for several of the Mariinsky opera and ballet productions, he emigrated from Russia to Paris, France in 1923. There he worked for Sergei Diaghilev as a set designer for several of the Ballets Russes productions. He died in 1988, in Codroipo, Italy.