Carlos Soto, a set and costume designer known for his emotionally charged and essentialist approach to theater, is profiled in a feature that traces his career from a childhood encounter with Robert Wilson to collaborations with Solange, Marina Abramović, and Philip Glass. Soto discusses his recent production of Robin Hood at Zurich's Schauspielhaus, where he fused Japanese Noh theater masks with animal memes to create costumes that blur the line between human and beast. The article highlights his uncompromising vision, his early apprenticeship under Frida Parmeggiani at the Met, and his decision to drop out of Pratt Institute to pursue hands-on learning.
This profile matters because Soto represents a rare breed of designer who moves fluidly between opera, pop, comedy, and avant-garde performance, refreshing centuries-old narratives with unexpected visual languages. His work with major figures like Solange and the late Robert Wilson underscores his influence on contemporary stage aesthetics, while his ability to draw connections between ancient traditions and internet culture signals a new direction in costume and set design. The article also serves as a testament to the enduring power of theater as a transformative, almost religious experience in an increasingly casual cultural landscape.