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Monday, June 27, 2016

Monday Morning Inspiration/Opera and Costumes

For those of you who have followed the blog for some time, you know that I have a background in costume designing and that I LOVE the opera. 

A number years ago, Lyric Opera in Chicago did a production of Dialogues of the Carmelites. It's the story of the French Revolution and the execution of the Carmelite nuns. The final scene was so real, and so shocking. We both walked out with tear stained cheeks.

Three years ago, I saw that Opera Theater St. Louis was doing Dialogue of The Carmelites as part of their opera festival. I HAD to see this opera once more. So we made the trip down and the festival has become summer tradition for us.

This year's festival was particularly wonderful. Even if you don't have an interest in opera, or theater for that matter, costumes offer so much inspiration, so I thought I would share a few pictures and a glimpse of my weekend.

Our first opera was Ariadne. The story is that a composer has written an opera that they feel is far too boring, so they decide to interject some fun. The result is a vibrant production. 


I especially enjoyed the bright costumes of the harlequin troupe.


The next opera was a new production, written by Salmon Rushdie. The story is about the conflict in Kashmir between the Muslims and the Hindus. 
The story begins with with a young Muslim man and a young Hindu woman falling in love and marrying, but with conflict from the beginning. 


This costume was so vibrant and beautiful.


What begins as a love story, ends with revenge and murder. If you ever have the opportunity to see this opera, I highly recommend it as it was truly my favorite of the festival.


La Boheme is always a favorite. If you have never been to the opera, La Boheme makes the perfect introduction. The music is so beautiful and the story so sweet. 


I loved the costuming, set in Paris in the 1920's. 


The last opera in our series was MacBeth. By far, the best production I have ever seen. What was interesting was when we came back to our room, my husband turned on the television and there was a commercial for Game of Thrones. I commented that it looked just like the production of MacBeth. As it turns out, the costumes were on loan from HBO's Game of Thrones!


Here you see MacBeth and a picture from Game of Thrones. So much work went into these costumes. 


And finally, the queen. Her performance was amazing. I truly believed her to be as evil as the character.


Such a wonderful weekend. I left with my mind and my soul enriched. And quite inspired as well!

Even if an entire weekend of opera isn't for you, try to take in a summer theater production of something that you think you might enjoy. It gives you a few moments to escape and hopefully walk away inspired by all that you experienced.



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14 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had an amazing week-end. Lucky you! Unfortunately, I only have access to the live HD broadcasts from the Met, which are definitely not the same thing as being in the theatre. I have come to realize though that there is a bonus to this - viewing the singers and stage in a larger than life size on a movie screen. Many a time I sit and wonder how a certain detail on a costume was rendered while listening to an aria.

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    1. The Met performances at the theater are so wonderful. While not the same as being there, they do offer the up close experience. So happy you have that available to you.

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  2. I've always been a big opera fan as my mom sang in the opera and had her own syndicated radio program about opera. That is how she met my father. Opera music was always on in our house punctuated by show albums. I have to honestly say I was not familiar with Dialogue of the Carmelites. It intrigues me as I was schooled by Carmelites for many years. I am going to research this further. Thanks, Rhonda.

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    1. Poulenc wrote the opera. Before he died, his only request was that wherever the opera was performed that it be performed in the language of the country. His reason was that he didn't want anyone who saw the piece to miss the impact of the story. When it was done here in Chicago, it was done in French. It was still so powerful. When I saw it in St.Louis, it was done in English. It's a story of how easily people can become out of control and the devastation that can be brought about. But it's also a beautiful, albeit sad story of the nuns who stood for their principles and remained united until the very end. Especially with your background, I think you will truly enjoy it.

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  3. I love opera, I was a lucky kid whose parents took me. I worked for Seattle Opera in their ticket office for years, and still volunteer there. Yes,nothing beats a live performance, but the Met HD showings are great, especially the intermission 'backstage' tour. Just watching the stagehands is a performance worth the admission. I only wish the theater I see them at (at 9 or 10am West Coast) would have coffee available, or make some effort to accomodate the hundreds of us nonteenagers who attend regularily.
    What was the title of the Rushdie opera? That selection of operas sounds fabulous!

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    1. I apologize for forgetting to add the title to the Rushdie piece, Shalimar The Clown. If you have a chance to see it, by all means do. I bet it will come to Seattle.

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  4. We just attended a local community theater production of Mary Poppins that was wonderful. I had neither a seat favorable to photography or a camera capable of publishable photos, but on the other hand, I could just enjoy the production without fretting over getting a good photo....although I would like to have shared the wonderful costumes!

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    1. Go to their website and you should be able to find pictures that can be shared. That's where I found the pictures I shared. As much as I enjoy theater all year long, there's just something special about attending a performance in the summer months. Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

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  5. Truly inspiring photos, and you must have had a wonderful time at the opera! I wish there would be an opera theater in my hometown but at the present time there isn't. I remember a vacation in Monaco many years ago, and we saw all the beautiful women and men very well dressed leaving the opera at the end of the show. I also went to an Opera theater to attend to a musical in Sao Paulo Brasil when I was working there.

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    1. In America, gone are the days of people truly dressing to attend the opera. Breaks my heart :(

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  6. I'm not familiar with much opera but i do love theatre - and the costumes particularly. Thanks for sharing these pictures Rhonda,and clearly you had a good time 😃

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    1. We had a wonderful time! It's wonderful to immerse myself in a weekend of opera. Just the best escape. Opera is nothing more than theater with music, so if you have an opportunity, see a performance. The operas I would recommend for first time goers would be, La Boheme, La Traviata, The Magic Flute. The music is so beautiful and the stories are easy to follow regardless of the language in which it is sang.

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  7. I love all this post. Springfield Ohio doesn't have a lot to offer, but we do have a great Summer Arts Festival of plays and concerts, which my husband and I try to attend when possible. Unfortunately, they haven't done any opera.

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    1. Be it music or theater, there's just something special about summer festivals!

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