Super Bass

Lined up along a hallway on one of the lower levels are about 10 of these old Bass trunks. They are so beautifully made and also very creepy. They seem like a person could be curled up inside...

Orfeo

Ok, so there are only two more full weeks left at the Opera. I'm not gonna lie, its a lot of work, and I think we're all ready for a change of pace. The last show Im dressing is Orfeo designed my Isaac Mizrahi. He was at final dress today but I didnt get to meet him. The costumes are really cool, especially the Chorusters'. They are each a notable dead person from history like Marie Antoinette, Charlie Chaplin, Princess Diana, etc.

Here is a clip.

I dress the female dancers who are dancing hard in this Opera, as it is directed and choreographed by Mark Morris.



The last performance of Orfeo is May 14th, then I have one day off before ABT opens May 16th.

Ive been so lucky to have had such an amazing first season with The MET!

How to Succeed

Last Wednesday I found myself with an entire weekday off! I took myself straight to TKTS to get us some Broadway tickets. I arrived at 1:30 (opens at 3) so that I could be first in line and get prime seats. It worked a little too well because I ended up with front row center seats to How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Mr. Daniel Radcliffe. There was no room to be picky, but front row center is too close to see a Broadway show. I knew I was in for an evening on looking right up Harry Potters nostrils, and I was right. Still, I loved the show. Here's why;

1. Daniel Radcliffe. Im such a Harry Potter head that admittedly I was a little bit giddy about seeing him. Especially sooooo close up. Like, I could have reached out and touched him, close. He did pretty well, too. He sang everything nicely and danced well. He didnt blow me away with either skill but he was perfect for the character and his American accent held up, too.

2. The dancing. Directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford, I knew the dance numbers would be sharp, witty, and impressive. I was especially impressed by the men's ensemble who were dancing in nearly every scene, it seemed. They were fierce. Especially in the "Old Ivy" football inspired number. So good.

3. The costumes. Designed by my favorite designer d'jour, Katherine Zuber (designer of Comte Ory) She has a way of using monochromatic tones and blending them in a beautiful way. They were bright and beautiful. LOVE!

Did it move me or make me think about life? No, not really. But it was fun and light and I left tapping my toes and humming the tunes.

Quick Change

Dresses puddled and ready for a quick change!

Bohemian...

Posing on a part of the La Boheme set backstage a few months ago...

Costume DIva?

(Renee Flemming in Armida)



I havent been writing much lately because Ive been so busy at work. Then I come home and I dont feel like I have anything interesting to share because Im just working all day everyday. But then I thought that maybe some of you might just be interested in what goes on in my not--to-typical job, after all this blog is called Costume Diva, and I dont really talk to much about working with costumes, do I?

So starting today Im going to start filling you guys in on some of what goes on behind the scenes as a Dresser here at the Metropolitan Opera.

So first of all being a Dresser is a lot like what it sounds like; I help the performers get dressed. My "call time" is always 30 minutes before the first performer in my assigned area gets called to stage. Usually that is 30 minutes before the show starts but sometimes I might not have someone on until second or even third act. My first task is always to make sure all costume pieces are there and prepped and ready to go.

Then I hang out until the person is ready to dress. If they wear a wig that usually goes on first by someone from the Wig department. Sometimes the costume is super easy and they dont really need my help and Im really just there in case something goes wrong. In a huge place like this where every department is Unionized, rules are really strict and even though a person may not really need a Dresser, there has to be one present as long a a performer is in costume, for liability reasons, etc.

Then a big part of my job is doing "Quick Changes" back stage. Sometimes they are crazy fast (17 seconds!) but most of the time there is just not enough time for the performer to go aaaalllll the way back to their dressing room, change, then come back. (This place is HUGE and dressing rooms span 3 floors.)These are my favorite to do because when standing in the wings you get to watch some of the performance. Crew members are discouraged from being in the wings unnecessarily because there is always so much going on and you dont want to be in any ones way. Even though this place is enormous, when youre backstage with sometimes over 100 people, and animals, and set pieces, it can get a bit cramped!

Aside from working on shows I also do a lot of "Day Work" which is when we come in and do laundry, repairs, break down shows that have closed, prep shows that are opening, and also rehearsals. But what I actually do varies quite a lot from day to day. This company is different from any other Ive worked at because they dont do one Opera for a consecutive number of days. For example if there are 15 performances of La Boheme, they do not happen back to back, rather they are spread out over weeks and sometimes months. So out of seven performances in a week, there are about 4 different Operas being performed.

Also, as an extra Dresser (not salary) you are hired to work specific Operas. So next week Im only assigned to Queen of Spades and Boris Gudunov so I only have three shows. Additionally you are assigned to a specific area for each Opera. I tend to work the department consisting of the Children, Ballet Women and Super Women. Other departments are the Solo Men or Solo Women, Chorus Men or Chorus Women and Super and Ballet Men. Make sense?

Anyways, I hope that served as a nice introduction to what Ive got going on these days! This week Im in for "Day Work" all week. Tomorrow and Friday we start dress- rehearsals for Queen of Spades, then I work Armida Saturday Matinee and Im subbing in on Iphigenie Saturday night!

NY Proud

I think its a rule that you arent a real NYC theater worker until you are inanimately familiar with the smell of dead mouse. Its kind of like the rule that you aren't a real New Yorker till youve been pooped on by a pigeon. New York strong. New York proud.

Totally Nutzo...

Im sad The Nutcracker is over. It is always such a pleasure dressing these lovely soloist ladies...




(L-R) Maria Riccetto (Mila Kunis's ballet double in The Black Swan), Misty Copeland (of Prince's Crimson and Clover video) and Sarah Lane (Natalie Portman's ballet double in The Black Swan)



(A snapshot from backstage during second act)

Met Opera HD

Some of the most different and interesting performances at the Opera have been when we are filming for our live HD broadcasts. As if there wasn't enough going on with hundreds of people and massive set changes, then add an entire live t.v. crew into the mix. The best part about it for me is getting to watch the close up shots on the backstage monitors and actually getting to read the translations!



Check out Fathom Events and see if a live or encore HD performance is playing at a movie theater near you! The Boris encore is playing November 10th.

Suave- ey

Last night a 10 year old Opera boy told me he liked me because I am "suave-ey". Uh, thanks kid. You're really rokin' that, um, starving Russian street urchin look.

Opera daze...

Im loving working on Godunov but Im getting used to some of the major differences between Opera at the Met and Ballet at the Met:

1. Singing rather than dancing. Obviously. The power of all those voices and the orchestra is unbelievable. Although, the Opera does have their own ballet chorus but Im not dressing them. (Im with the kids!)

2. The sheer number of people. This opera has an enormous cast and therefor an enormous crew. I was standing in the stage right wings waiting for a change today- and literally almost 100 people were back there at once.

3. Age. The average age at ABT was probably 30. The Opera is more like 40.

4. Set. The sets are massive and the stage is raked.

5. Costume. They are bigger and heavier. Since most of the singers do little more than walk to position, stand, and gesture, the costumes can be very cumbersome.



Image by Rachel Papo

I was also asked to dress La Boheme (the original Rent). Glad I get to stick around!

Back to Lincoln Center!

Well, looks like its back to Lincoln Center for me! I'll be dressing The Met Opera's production of Boris Gudunov. Sweet. Divas and 4 hour shows? No problem!


photo by Nick Heavican for Met Opera

The Rescignos

Hey guys! Super excited to see The Rescigonos at the Duplex tonight! They are my dear friend Tricia's twin brothers and their Cabaret show is hilarious! Check out the funny:

Back to the Ballet

Looking forward to heading back to work today!



Corps member Nicole Graniero backstage before Sleeping Beauty's Garland Dance.

A View from Stage Left

(click to enlarge)

Chandeliers

Chandeliers waiting to be hung for Lady of the Camellias.

Fountain Faerie

A father and daughter discus the ballet in front of the Lincoln Center fountain.

Dressing Room...

Week one down, seven more to go!

Burn...

Tomorrow I go to work at THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE!



Haha!

Behind the scenes...

A behind the scenes look at New York City Ballet's costume shop.



via Awesomosis