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February 8 - March 13, 2016
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W
hen envisioning costumes from some of Lyric’s
most iconic productions, a few standouts come to
mind. Cio-Cio-San’s beautiful kimono in
Madama
Butterfly.
The black cape Méphistophélès donned in
Faust
.
Lucia’s haunting, bloodstained white nightgown in
Lucia di
Lammermoor
. Perhaps the sultry red dress worn by the heroine
of
Carmen
. These memorable looks not only help describe the
characters who wear them, but also work to set the tone of the
entire production – no small feat.
Indeed, the skilled professionals of Lyric’s wardrobe
department have a tough job. Not only are they tasked with
sewing immensely intricate costumes and conducting fittings and
alterations – they must also flawlessly execute speedy backstage
wardrobe changes for roughly 90 performances each season.
All of this occurs behind the scenes, as these craftspeople hope
the discerning eyes of audiences will only experience costumes
as seamless garments of perfection. Fortunately, because of
their years of experience and carefully honed expertise, Lyric’s
wardrobe team continues to masterfully produce costumes season
after season.
There are essentially three types of productions for which the
Lyric wardrobe department creates costumes: rentals, remounts,
and new productions.
Each mode of production presents unique challenges. With
a rented show, for example, usually the wardrobe staff can’t
make significant alterations to the original costumes for the
new artists who will be wearing them. Instead, they often must
create copies of those costumes, ensuring that their look will fit
perfectly within the production’s basic visual scheme. With a
remounted show, although Lyric owns the production and the
wardrobe staff is allowed to make alterations, a lot of creativity
is needed to refurbish costumes that may have been stored
in a warehouse for many years. Additionally, directors for a
remounted production often request all new costuming! In that
case, the staff must create original designs to meet the director’s
vision. And of course, a new production is challenging because
it requires working with designers and directors over many
months to make certain that their concepts will be reflected in
the end result.
For rentals and remounts (where the costumes are usually
already in existence), costumes arrive at Lyric months in advance
so the wardrobe department can begin their work. This allows the
team enough time to unpack, prep, and compare the costumes to
the measurements of the production’s current cast. It’s also the
time to make decisions regarding whether a costume will need
to be remade to fit an artist’s unique dimensions. Costumes for
new productions are generally constructed off premises by various
contractors and are fitted closer to August, with the designers and
key members of the wardrobe staff all present to ensure that their
visions mesh.
If a costume has to be refurbished or newly created, the
wardrobe team begins with a search for the perfect fabric. Usually
a costume is based on a sketch by the original designer or a photo
of the costume, so it’s a matter of matching a fabric type or color
to that design concept. Unfortunately, according to Maureen
Reilly, Lyric’s wardrobe director, Chicago leaves much to be
desired in the realm of fabric shopping. Reilly laments, “Chicago
does not have a lot of fabric shops! There are really only two or
three to choose from, so we use catalogues to try to find similar
fabrics.” If the right fabric can’t be found in a catalogue, Reilly
has to place a few special calls. “We sometimes order fabric from
other places,” she explains, “like Fucotex in Germany, Whaleys in
Opposite page, top:
The late Pet Halmen designed more than
200 costumes for Lyric’s production of
Aida
, premiered in 1983
and pictured in its 2004-05 revival.
Far Left:
Carmen
at Lyric Opera, 2010-11 season: the heroine
(Katharine Goeldner) and Escamillo (Kyle Ketelsen), resplendent
in their arrival at the bullring.
Left:
Costumes by Susan Mickey brought a rainbow of bright color
to this season’s new production of
The Marriage of Figaro
.
Left to right: Luca Pisaroni (Count Almaviva), Christiane Karg (Susanna),
Adam Plachetka (title role), and Amanda Majeski (Countess Almaviva).
Right:
Two longtime Lyric colleagues,
wardrobe supervisor Lucy Lindquist and costume director Maureen Reilly.
DAN REST