Creating A Diva

The coming of an opera's opening night evokes all the wonders of another world manufactured for the stage. When most of us go to the opera, we are so busy appreciating the final product that the efforts made to bring it from the score to the stage are often overlooked. The fact is, an enormous amount of time, money and labor are put into transforming an idea into an impressive reality.\nSet designer Robert O'Hearn, who has worked on over 200 productions in his career and over 30 since his arrival at IU in 1987, described in detail how a production evolves from a mere idea to an actual event.\nAfter familiarizing himself with the work by reading the libretto and listening to the music, the stage designer talks to the stage director, who is in charge of the production's atmosphere. After gathering the director's ideas, the designer researches the setting in depth. Operas can been set anywhere between ancient Egypt and the present, so getting correct details is essential to a successful production.\nNext comes the most important step -- developing a unique point of view to establish a new, different and exciting approach to the opera that agrees with the director's plans. \n"You have to ask yourself what the theme of the piece is," said O'Hearn, "and then give an interpretation of that theme."\nOnce this is done, the drawings and costume sketches are made and O'Hearn builds a set model. A long period follows as the designer supervises the crew as they build, paint and sew the necessary props. Once these are built, there come the lighting rehearsals, the dress rehearsals and, finally, the performance itself.\nThe entire process of preparing a production takes about six months on average. New productions take longer, and revivals still require a lot of time because different directors take different approaches, so the sets need to be adjusted accordingly. Keeping within the set budget can also be a challenge. O'Hearn remembered a motto he saw over a theater switchboard once that said, "Good, fast, cheap -- pick two," and said that the statement is generally correct.\nO'Hearn gave a good picture of what a typical production crew looks like. On the production crew for an opera like "La Bohème" are three carpenters, a head painter and six to 10 assistants, up to 30 stagehands, including electricians, prop crew and stagehands, four or five seamstresses, three graduate students to work on wigs and accessories, and 25 dressers. Almost all of these crew members are students.\nOne department that works long and hard and makes an enormous contribution to the production is the costume department. Michelle Boyle, the costume supervisor, explained the importance of costumes. \n"Costumes are a big part of the operation. In fact, chorus members have told me they don't feel like a chorus until they wear their costumes," she said.\nBoyle explained that operatic costumes are very different from theatrical costumes, which resemble merchandise apparel. Since operas are revived often -- "La Bohème" has been playing at IU for 25 years -- the costumes need to be adjustable for up to two sizes. Another feature that dictates costume design is making sure dancers can move in them and singers are comfortable. Thus, every character must be fitted for alterations. Of course, the budget carries a huge amount of weight as do any changes the director wishes to make.\nAnother challenge faced by the costume shop is balancing the operations for current, upcoming and new productions. This year IU's costume shop has 11 productions in 12 months for which it needs to make new costumes and alter old ones. Currently, aside from altering the costumes for "La Bohème," they are preparing the ones for "Eugene Onegin" and making new ones for "A View from the Bridge" and the spring ballet. Boyle said they have yet to miss a deadline.\nBoyle also added that the costume shop crew has fun with their jobs. With staff working 40 hours and students up to 70 hours per week, she said, it's necessary to have fun. \n"The atmosphere in the shop is very laid back. We have lots of fun, and I love this job," said Boyle.\nOne of the students working with Boyle in the costume shop is graduate student Lisa Golda, a supervisory assistant who is in charge of accessories for "La Bohème." Together with graduate student Katherine Altobello, who is the administrative assistant, and graduate student Jessica Rall, who directs wigs and makeup, Golda forms part of a team of three graduate students who supervise the cast's wardrobe. Rather than sewing the costumes, they build them. She explained that this opera has an unusually large chorus of 60 members, so organizing for all of them is difficult, especially with three or four accessories per person, which include such things as purses, hats and jewelry. \n"Keeping track of so many people can be quite difficult," Golda added.\nNot only is all the organizing difficult, but time-consuming as well -- Golda works a minimum of 20 paid hours per week and 40 to 60 hours during opera week. On top of this, Golda has classes to attend and a high grade point average standard to maintain. Yet in spite of this, Golda maintains her working philosophy.\n"We really go out of our way to do what we can to make the singers feel comfortable and look fantastic," Golda said.\nComfort is an important issue to Golda, who studies voice and knows what a singer feels and needs to be comfortable.\nThe costume shop is just one of the many branches of backstage departments whose total efforts result in the production of an opera. Each has its own methods, its own difficulties and its own protagonists. The costume shop, however, gives a good look at the complexity and intensity of backstage labor as well as the large amount of effort and great attention to detail that result in a successful production. \n"We couldn't do these wonderful shows without the backstage crew. Together we all try to make the production smooth, exciting and within budget," O'Hearn said.\n-- Contact staff writer Adam Sedia at asedia@indiana.edu.