Mystic Circles of the Young Girls

Night gathers at the summit. The young girls move in quiet rounds—mysterious games that mark a bounded space. Across three panels the action unfolds: attendants with garlands and veils, a ring tightening, the chosen one set apart at center, arched toward a narrow, chant‑like sky. Suspended triangular “plumb‑lines” point to the ground like ritual markers; faceted frames bracket each body, turning step‑patterns into measure. This is secrecy rather than spectacle—reordered folk song made visible as repetition and return—a circle that chooses, adorns, and prepares. Original production context:

The Met — Roerich costume design.