Timothy O’Leary is describing the love story between the Washington National Opera (WNO)’s costume team and the works of art they fit to singers not like a glove, but like a second layer of skin, an extension of their very being. And it’s an easy romance to get swept up in.
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Timothy O’Leary describes the Washington National Opera as a “love story” in which the costumes have lives of their own “as living breathing things.” As humans, our clothing is incredibly revealing of the person we are, and I believe that the same is true for characters. Clothing choices and costuming play an essential role in the definition of a character, which is why I think it is incredibly fitting for these costumes (in which designers have put their heart and soul into) to be described as separate entities. I also found it interesting to understand the ways in which the customer takes into consideration the function of the costume, which for different actors means very different things. Understanding the shape of the body of the actor in which the costume is being worn, and the ways in which that actor must maneuver (if they are singing, making sure they can hear, etc) is something that does not immediately come to mind regarding a costumers role. The costumes are described as armor, and each relationship the singer has to their costume is precious. Through this article, you can see the heart and soul that has gone into the work of designing.
This is a fascinating look at the thought and process that goes into costume design and production. I love how LeBouf talks about her costume helping the actors, and how she will do whatever she can to make the actor’s job as seamless and easy as possible, by taking their physicality and breathing needs into account. Having worked in costume production and in stage management, I agree that there is something so special in knowing you made a performer’s experience better and easier on stage, even if no one else knows about it or recognizes it. It’s also an intoxicating feeling when you see the actor try on their costume for the first time, and just melt into it as if it was there all along. Costumes are so incredibly important not only for the audience, but also for the performer to be able to physically inhabit the world they are playing in.
This is the kind of article that really gets me a-moving and a-grooving. Diving into the costume shops of some of these huge opera houses and companies around the country is like diving into an entirely new world. They are well-oiled machines filled with passion and incredible skill. And to hear the dedicated words from the designers there, is even more beautiful. This article also dove into the relationship the actors have with their costumes, which is a connection I love to explore. Costume design and acting have a symbiotic relationship and it is necessary to communicate between actors and designers in order to fully grasp the depth of the characters and comfortability of the actors. This article articulates that idea beautifully. This article shines a beautiful light on the love and life inside this costume shop and it is a lovely reminder of the incredible things that await our little costume tartans. I hope all of them find a home as lovely as this post-graduation.
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