Sunday, April 14, 2013

The Nitty Gritty


It takes a large production crew to realize an Opera: stage managers, stage crew, lighting crew, hair, make-up, wardrobe, volunteers, Opera staff and more. They may be hidden in the dark wings of the stage paging the performers for the cues, sewing wardrobe adjustments in the make-up room, adjusting bobby pins in pin curls, assembling food in the Green Room, leading the chorus through warm-up or scanning the raked stage for safety. These are the individuals that are crucial to execute the show, yet, audiences do not get to see them on stage.

Listen to the nitty gritty production details in Edmonton Opera productions. In the audio interview assistant stage manager, Joanna Black, discusses the hustling quirks of her job, the thrill of problem-solving backstage, and her favorite part of the job from the stage wings. Next one of the foodie volunteers, Faye, discusses the food supplied in the Green Room backstage (3:37). Learn what kind of food they serve in the Green Room and how much money it took to feed over 100 chorus members and supernumeraries from their production of Aida in the Fall. Completing the interview is a chat with Edmonton Opera Head of Wardrobe, Deanna Finnmann. Opera is an expensive art form to produce so production packages from other opera companies are rented. She discusses the challenges she faces when costumes arrive, the process of fitting over 150 costumes for Eugene Onegin, and whether or not she ever gets to watch the shows.























Photography by Nanc Price

Eugene Onegin Tickets

Date Time Buy Tickets
Friday, April 19, 2013 8:00 pm Purchase online
Sunday, April 21, 2013 2:00 pm Purchase online
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 7:30 pm Purchase online
Thursday, April 25, 2013 7:30 pm Purchase online

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