Author: operazhenshchina1

A Betty Dress For Every Occasion

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Vintage dresses, with their timeless design and classic charm, are always on my radar for potential projects. In recent years, there have been numerous independent sewing pattern companies that have sprouted forth with vintage-inspired designs. One of the earliest pioneers of this specialized category is Sew Over It Patterns, based in the UK.
While I have been an admirer of the pattern company for years, I had never bought one of their patterns. However, this changed when I took the plunge and purchased their iconic Betty dress (and additional Add-On Pack) while it was on sale.

Sew Over It Betty Dress

Inspired by the early 1960’s and the TV series, “Mad Men”, the Betty dress was right up my alley: the stately bateau neckline, fitted bodice, and a full circle skirt made for twirling on the dance floor. I was ready to sew !
Coinciding with my new project was a series of videos produced by the team at Sew Over It, showcasing the fitting steps and how versatile the simple dress could be.

Watching the videos, along with reading several blog posts and sewing a plethora of mock-ups, helped me achieve a near perfect fit on a bodice block that was far from my measurements and bone structure. My first dress was made out of a stretch cotton sateen bottomweight in a vibrant floral print. Its first public appearance was at the Florida State P.E.O. Convention during the Friday night social and helped me to feel like a butterfly, flitting around the dance floor in that voluminous skirt.

Cheers !

With the success of my first Betty dress, I wanted to make another one, but this time, modify the neckline using the Add-On Pack. I opted for the V-neck version.

A wild foliage print on a cotton/polyester stretch shirting made for a delightful summer dress, especially when paired with a linen button down shirt as a cool topper.

Sew Over It Betty Dress (V-neck, sleeveless) styled with Pattern Emporium’s All In Shirt

There were now two Betty dresses in my closet, but I still craved more. It was time for a solid frock (and a fancy one, too), I thought. A fall wedding on my calendar was just the excuse I needed to make my desired design.

With the wedding being a semi-formal affair, I extended the skirt to a midi length and used the scoop neck template from the Add-On Pack. Can you guess where I spent most of the evening ?!

As you can tell, the Betty dress easily transitions from a casual daytime look to chic evening attire. And, if you sew like I do, it could become a versatile closet staple and your next sewing addiction.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

The Look For Less: J. McLaughlin

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Sheath dresses have never been a go-to garment choice for me due to their unflattering appearance on my non-rectangular figure. Despite being a misfit for my natural shape, I have always envied the look of a classic sheath style. Especially stunning are the Lilly Pulitzer dresses in their tropical prints and cool, neon hues.

Lilly Pulitzer

In a past issue of Julie’s Picks, a certain collection of fabrics caught my eye. It was titled, “Winter In Palm Beach”. Amid the blue-toned fabrics was a NY Designer swatch that made me believe it was once used for a signature Lilly dress. Curious, I emailed Fabric Mart and inquired about my hunch. As it so happened, the fabric wasn’t Lilly Pulitzer; it was J. McLaughlin.

When I found an image online of a dress made out of the exact fabric I had purchased from the swatch club, I was stunned.

J. McLaughlin Carly Dress in Mini Scribe

More shocking was the price. A similar style dress in the same Catalina Cloth™ as my own deadstock yardage ran upwards of $200. Decidedly, I made it my mission to create the look for less.

With the success of my Santa dress, I knew the Tessa Sheath pattern would be a perfect fit in its full length for my attempt at the upscale knockoff.

Did I make adjustments to the pattern ? Yes. In addition to lengthening the pattern by an inch, I experimented by blending sizes at the hips, but didn’t like the results. Rather, I graded out from the hip to include an extra 1″ seam allowance to the hem and sewed the prescribed 3/8″ seam allowance. This worked beautifully !

I also learned how to add fisheye darts to the back of the dress to bypass the painfully tedious process of cutting and splicing the pattern to make my mandatory swayback adjustment. Going forward, I intend to employ this method when making garments as it took away the hassle of back pattern alterations and gave me better-than-anticipated results.

And that perfectly notched neckline ? I followed the instructions from an article online and watched a video about how to mark and sew the notch all together with the facing. But the real secret was PerfectFuse Light interfacing used on the front and back facing pieces and decreasing my stitch length to just 1.2mm at the bottom point of the notch.

The deadstock J. McLaughlin fabric I purchased was under $10 a yard and I used less than two yards for the entire dress. So, for less than a tenth of the price of a store-bought designer dress, I had my very own luxury piece at a fraction of the cost. Plus, the fun I had while recreating this design and the inner glee I felt in revealing its sophisticated origins gave me a feeling of utmost delight.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

The King and I: Night to Shine 2025

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The evening of February 9, 2024 was one I couldn’t forget. My first experience at Night to Shine made an impact so great that I almost liken the feeling to that of my first opera outing. Before the DJ’s equipment could be packed away and the thousands of twinkling lights unstrung, my attentions turned to the following year and that all-important question: What was I going to wear ?

The end of a magical evening ─ Night to Shine 2024

The story of how Jacob and I met is well documented in all its grocery glory. As I considered a myriad of styles for my prom dress, I weighed each option by the measure of Jacob’s outspoken preferences in fashion. He favors the color blue and voices a vehement abhorrence for sequins. Moreover, I didn’t want to overshadow Jacob’s “puteet” stature with a gown of staggering dimensions. Curiously, I was most attracted to the sleek and classic lines of 1930’s style gowns. But it wasn’t until I chanced upon one of Gertie’s monthly Patreon patterns that I was completely sold on the idea.

Gertie modeling the Starlet Gown (Patreon, December 2023)

The Starlet Gown, made out of stretch velvet with no fiddly closures, seemed right up my alley for a fuss-free evening. After mulling it over, I signed up for a monthly subscription to Patreon and downloaded the pattern. The sew-along video that was included with the membership fee offered helpful techniques on how to sew with stretch velvet and finish the lined bodice. Weighting the cowl neckline was essential, and therefore, a quarter was listed in the required notions. As a tribute to Jacob, I sewed in a coin that was minted in 2000, the year my Ilja was born.

I opted for the back modesty panel, not necessarily for the look, but for the functionality. Ultimately, I’m glad I made that choice.

With glam accessories, like rhinestone earrings and long white gloves, I felt like a regal queen. But it was the carnation corsage, slipped over my wrist, that made me feel complete.

The King and I… ready to party !

The crowning of each and every King and Queen kicks off the celebration…

…while walking the red carpet is the highlight for all. The cheers and applause from the “paparazzi” never ceases to bring tears to my eyes.

After months of practicing in the car, we were finally able to sing our karaoke duet, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John with Kiki Dee. Should we take our act on the road ? Maybe !

Sorting through the various props available, it was time to take our picture at the photo booth. I always remind Jacob to be disciplined in saving and investing his money so he can become a богатый американец (bogatiy amerikanets ─ rich American).

Of course, the first question my mother asked me when I came home at the end of the evening was, “Did you get a picture with Tim Tebow ?!” As it so happens, my mother and I have a standing agreement that I am to call her immediately if Tim Tebow makes an appearance at our local Night to Shine. So far, no phone call has been made. But there’s always next year !

Jacob loves to dance…

…and so do I.

Since God answered my prayer for a friend from Russia in the form of Jacob, I have become increasingly active in the special needs community, which has been an unexpected delight in my life. Sharing the love of Christ with those who need it most brings me a radiant joy, especially in the role of a Buddy to my own very special King.

And now… what will I wear to Night to Shine 2026 ?

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

P.S. I can’t forget about the official video ! Can you spot Jacob and me ?
https://fb.watch/xGcSPYu_ke/

All I Want For Christmas is a Red Santa Dress

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Ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having a “Santa” dress. The rich red velvet and white fur trim around the neck, cuffs, and hem would give me festive feelings of delight. Watching the classic film, “White Christmas”, would heighten this desire every year.

Vera-Ellen, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Bing Crosby in “White Christmas”, 1954

Despite my intentions, the hectic holiday season would always get in the way of my December dream. However, when I was approached to give a program to a retiree group highlighting the Christmas songs of the ages, I knew my time had come. The premise of the program was for me to wear an era-specific costume to match a song that was to be played after I modeled its corresponding outfit. The audience, in turn, had to guess when the song/carol was originally written based on my costume. For the 1990s, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was on the list.

Mariah Carey in the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” music video, 1994

Hooray ! The Christmas program gave me a fitting excuse to create my Santa dress. While the task seemed simple, it certainly had its challenges. I can’t count how many mock-ups I sewed of different bodice patterns, only to have them be too tight when sewn up in the desired stretch velvet. What was wrong ? Almost giving up, I tried one last pattern.

The Tessa Sheath Dress from Love Notions Patterns popped into my e-mail inbox one Friday as part of the company’s Feature Friday. For $5, I thought I would give it a try.
My first mock-up was promising and when I added length to the bodice, it was perfect. Because I knew I was going to attach a circle skirt to the waist seam, I didn’t bother printing the rest of the PDF pattern. Once sewn together, I measured the circumference of the waist seam and used Mood Fabric’s Circle Skirt Calculator to map out my radius and fabric lay. The calculator worked its magic and gave me one circular piece of velvet, with no back seam to sew.
Fluffy faux fur purchased from Amazon was sewn/glued to the appropriate places and… that was it ! I finally had my Santa dress.

This dress is so much fun ! I have worn it constantly over the season and love giving its skirt a twirl.

One of my favorite features of the dress is its red stretch velour, which hangs heavy in its drape.

Just look at those folds !!

Merry Christmas !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

The End of an Era

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For nearly nine years, I have lived for the opera. As soon as the golden jacquard curtain would make its final descent on the Met stage in New York, I would leave the cinema dreaming about my next opera and its corresponding outfit. The passion I felt when planning my opera outings would fuel me with a year-round energy that could only be described as the ultimate adrenaline rush. Truly, it was a love affair for the ages.
Sadly, an opera friend of mine delivered some devastating news in early October: the local theater where we would go to see the Live in HD simulcasts had been stripped of its standing and would no longer be carrying the Saturday matinees.
The news, which was magnanimous in its weight, left me subdued, but not surprised; the local attendance for the broadcasts had been steadily declining over the years and I had subconsciously questioned how long the theater would continue with the act. With my lack of transportation to the next closest movie theater (almost an hour away), I considered the news as the end of an era.
But don’t despair ─ I’ve always believed that when a chapter in life closes, a new one begins. I still plan to continue sewing and blogging, albeit, it won’t necessarily be centered around opera costumes. Besides, with the Met’s trend of embracing more and more abstract, modern productions, my window for creating real costumes was becoming narrower and narrower.

In celebration of the wonderful performances I have had the pleasure of seeing over the past 9 years, I thought it would be fitting to relive some of my favorite moments from my time at the opera.

My Top 5 Favorite Opera Performances

Although these are not ranked in any particular order, there is an undisputed #1.

1. Il Trovatore ─ October 3, 2015

Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Anna Netrebko in Il Trovatore / Metropolitan Opera

What can I say ? This is the opera that started it all for me. Not only did I almost bolt out of my seat at the shocking ending (he killed his brother ?!), but I was introduced to an artform that I never dreamed I would love. Additionally, because of this performance and two of its singers, I took an interest in watching concerts from Russia’s Kultura channel on YouTube and there started to teach myself the Cyrillic alphabet, which rapidly expanded into learning the Russian language.

2. La Fanciulla del West ─ October 27, 2018

Eva Maria Westbroek and Jonas Kaufmann in La fanciulla del West / Metropolitan Opera

There was no one more wrapped up in the romance of bandit Dick Johnson and saloon owner Minnie than me. It was my first time seeing Jonas Kaufmann on the big screen and I was smitten. Once I learned of the opera’s stage origins, I bought a novel adaptation of David Belasco’s “The Girl of the Golden West” and further immersed myself in the majestic California setting. And, I loved feeling like a frontier marksman with my Stevens .22 (no, it didn’t go to the theater with me).

3. Turandot ─ February 3, 2016

Nina Stemme in Turandot / Metropolitan Opera

How could I make a compilation of my favorite performances without including at least one from Turandot ? While each of the three performances I attended had its detractors, I chose the 2016 encore performance as my favorite due to my unsuspecting nature during my original outing. It was exhilarating, spine-tingling, and stunning. The way I felt while watching the Riddle Scene unfold was something I’ll never forget.

4. Der Rosenkavalier ─ May 13, 2017

Elīna Garanča and Renée Fleming in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

Okay, I’ll admit it: I was in total belief of Elīna Garanča’s masculine alter-ego in this performance. Her movements combined with her statuesque height had me turning away from the screen while watching the hot love affair between Garanča’s teenaged Octavian and Renée Fleming’s seemingly much older Marschallin. Coupled with the sentimentality of both ladies retiring their respective roles from this particular opera, one could say it was a landmark performance. Strauss’s music wasn’t so bad either.

5. Les Pêcheurs de Perles ─ January 16, 2016

Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Diana Damrau in Les Pêcheurs de Perles / Metropolitan Opera

Choosing a Top 5 was no easy feat, but Bizet’s buried gem was a treasure. I remember seeing this as my third opera performance and decided to throw around some sophomoric clout with an elderly patron buying her ticket at the theater. “Are you going to the opera ? I’ve heard Matthew Polenzani is very good in this performance.” I airily inquired. “Well, I’ve heard Mariusz Kwiecien is very good as well !” she smartly slung back at me. The combination of dreamy music, along with a production that blended the sacred with the modern, edged this performance as one of my most memorable.

Honorable Mention

Agrippina
Ariadne auf Naxos
L’Elisir d’Amore

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

At the Hop

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Although it may seem unfathomable, in all my years of costuming I have never dressed in the fashion of the poodle skirt from the 1950’s. The iconic getup has never been one of my Halloween costumes, nor worn as an outfit to an opera. Frankly, no opportunities had ever presented themselves !
Last year when my friend, Jacob, raved about his time at a fundraiser for Silly Sock Saturdays, I knew I wanted to go the following year. Since the theme for the charity event was a 1950’s sock hop, my opportunity for soda shop bop had undoubtedly arrived.

Without hesitation, I turned to Folkwear for my pattern. I already owned the 256 At The Hop pattern, which I purchased during an e-mail flash sale to add to my burgeoning pattern collection. It seemed frivolous at the time, but I knew I would have a use for it… someday.

256 At The Hop / Folkwear Patterns

Keeping with tradition, I used a charcoal wool blend felt for the skirt, which I ordered from Fabric Wholesale Direct. Recently, FWD began a matching thread and zipper service, which made choosing complementary notions much less of a chore. The full circle skirt was sewn in a professional manner with its lapped zipper application.

Matching thread and zipper for the charcoal wool blend felt

What’s a poodle skirt without its playful canine ? I used pink and white felt for the main construction of the appliqué and then hand embroidered its outline with a stem stitch.

Fitting the blouse was more of a challenge. Previously, I had sewn a wearable muslin of the Peter Pan collared blouse included in the pattern envelope. While it seemed to fit from the front, a test of simple arm movements proved the blouse to be very constricting and an impossibility for dancing. In need of assistance, I reached out to Katrina Walker, one of my fit teachers. A broad back adjustment was applied to the paper pattern as was a full bust adjustment. After raising the armhole slightly, my new blouse was much improved. Thank you, Katrina !

Tight across the back and biceps and the entire blouse lifting while raising my arms ─ both signs of an ill-fitting garment.

A consignment cardigan, saddle shoes, pink poodle bobby sox, and a polka dot chiffon hair tie made my outfit complete. Don’t forget about the cat eye glasses ! They were given to me as a birthday gift years ago. Thank you, Aunt Countess !

Miss Poodle was ready for the hop. But what about my friend ? Still thinking of the variety and versatility of Folkwear’s vintage patterns, I recalled their 251 Varsity Jacket pattern and realized it would be perfect for Jacob.

251 Varsity Jacket / Folkwear Patterns

After taking his initial measurements, I embarked through my usual fitting processes and altered the pattern to suit his needs. Particularly, it was imperative to widen the neck and shorten the sleeves of the pattern. For ease of wear and care, I chose a soft and spongy Ponte knit for the body and sleeves of the jacket. Stay tapes and PerfectFuse interfacing added stability to the welt pockets and facings. A tip for sewists: don’t skip this step ! It will elevate your garments from amateur to professional in a jiffy.

Sewkeys-E Knit Stay Tape fused to the pocket openings and welts

My model was a perfect participant. Jacob would curiously ask me questions as to my experience with working with models whereupon I had to gently let him down that he was not my first model to fit. However, his face beamed like the sun reemerging from the cover of the clouds when I told him a secret: he was my first male model to fit.
With supportive topstitching, striped ribbing, a fully lined interior, a machine appliquéd J, and silver snaps, the jacket was ready…

…and so were we !

My mother gave Jacob a ballpoint pen “tattoo” on his arm, just like all the greasers of the 50’s. He said it kind of tickled and was “a little relaxing.”

The fundraiser was a tremendous success ! Donations for socks and goodies were abundant and the music that played was hopping.

Rock around the clock !

In between root beer floats, a generous candy bar, photo booth, cotton candy station, and a barbeque buffet dinner, Jacob and I danced the time away while wearing his mother’s high school and college class rings. How neat is that ?!

Excitedly, we cheered at the end of the evening when we won two of the raffle prizes: trips to Top Golf and the Titanic Exhibit. Whoo hoo !

A thank you goes to the sponsors who made the event possible and for the benefactress who graciously invited me to sit at her table. Thank you, Mrs. Baker !

Whether attending a sock hop or just for confectionary fun, I highly recommend Folkwear’s vintage patterns for their authentic appeal and cultural connection. See you at the Hop !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

From Publix to Prom: Night to Shine 2024

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Sometimes, the best things in life come when you least expect them. My life took a drastic detour in late 2022 when I made the decision to apply for a part-time job at Publix, a premier supermarket chain in the southeastern United States. I was scared to death. Having never worked outside the home, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but in early 2023, I was hired and soon garnered fame among my customers and co-workers as the perpetually upbeat cashier.

At my register with all my quirky necessities: medical gloves, blue light blocking glasses, and an endless supply of water (Photo courtesy of Merissa Green)

Trademark to Publix is their carryout service, a job performed by our front service clerks, better known as baggers. And this is where my tale begins ! It was at Publix that I became acquainted with Jacob, the bagger with special needs who had a penchant for people’s clothing, tattoos, and painted nails. He would make me laugh to the point that my face felt like it had been permanently stretched as he effusively complimented the throngs of customers on their ordinary outfits and unabashedly inquired if their sprawling tattoos had given them any pain. For every Publix customer story that I would bring home from work, there would be just as many “Jacob” stories to tell my family.

Six weeks into my job, I discovered that I knew Jacob’s mother from P.E.O., which left me stunned. But that wasn’t all─ a week later I received an even bigger bombshell: Jacob was from Russia. Ever since I began teaching myself Russian in late 2015, I had prayed for God to send me a friend from Russia in His perfect timing. Apparently, my prayer had been answered.

The revelation rocked my world. Jacob was adopted from Russia at 18 months old with the given name of Ilja, which was retained as his middle name. Instantaneously, we became the best of friends, spending time together whenever possible. It is with utmost endearment that I call him my Ilja and in turn, he calls me his Masha.

Masha and the Bear: Jacob and Mary Martha

When I heard about Night to Shine, the special needs prom sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, I begged Jacob to take me. Because I was homeschooled in high school, I never had the opportunity to attend prom. And so, at 30 years old, I attended my first prom as a Buddy.

Imagine my surprise when Jacob presented me with a live flower corsage. It was beautiful ! And for those wondering, I still have that corsage.

Wearing the dress I had sewn for Lohengrin, I further accentuated the sparkling shoulders by adding a thin rhinestone belt.

After my King was crowned (I was not permitted to wear a crown as a Buddy), we walked the red carpet in a wave of celebration put on by the paparazzi.

The atmosphere was incredible ! I was so impressed by the efforts of the volunteers to make the event special for everyone. We ate a boxed meal, cheered as the rest of the guests paraded in, and then made our way to the next destination: the photo booths.

Decorating the draped tables nearby were a menagerie of props and accessories to liven up the photo strips that were printed on the spot. Jacob and I had lots of fun choosing our props and poses.

Of course, we had to take a picture with cardboard Tim Tebow. Like every other mom in America, my mother always wanted me to marry the star athlete.

Karaoke came next. Jacob made everyone cry when he sang “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe. Then, we both took to the microphones to belt out Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” with choreographed dance moves. What a blast !

We danced the YMCA…

…joined the Conga line…

…and played the air guitar.

I loved being on the arm of someone so sweet.

Night to Shine was one of the most magical experiences of my life. Not only did it exceed my expectations of what prom would be like, but the impact that it had on the kings and queens was truly awesome. A big ‘thank you’ goes to the countless volunteers who made the evening such a success.

As thus, my tale has come to its dreamy end. The moral of the story is, be careful what you pray for; you might find yourself wrapped in a joy beyond compare.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

P.S. There’s a video !! Watch to see the action unfold in real time.
https://fb.watch/sDsOug4JHm/

Madama Butterfly: East Meets West

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It is already known how Madama Butterfly played a significant role in my life. In 2016, I taught myself to sew as I was preparing for my first outing to Puccini’s immortal tragedy. Because of that climactic moment, I hold a great reverence and affection for the opera.

My first sewing project ever ─ an authentic kimono for Madama Butterfly ─ in 2016

This particular Live in HD Butterfly was probably the best iteration I’ve seen. Much of the weight of that statement is credited to Asmik Grigorian, the Lithuanian soprano with a vast voice, making her long-awaited Met debut. Although I didn’t feel she had the prettiest voice, her acting had me believing that I was Butterfly. When the character was scared, I was scared. During her moments of wild hope, my skin tingled. Vulnerability and despair coalesced into a perfect portrayal. Brava !

Lucas Meacham, Jonathan Tetelman, and Asmik Grigorian in Madama Butterfly / Metropolitan Opera

Japanese garments being the central focus of Madama Butterfly, my goal for my third time seeing the opera in theaters was to embrace a more modern, accessible approach to costuming by creating something that could be described as “East Meets West”. For this, I turned to Folkwear Patterns and their 129 Japanese Hapi and Haori pattern.

129 Japanese Hapi and Haori ─ Folkwear Patterns

While the authentic appeal of the lined haori attracted me, my practical reasoning knew that dealing with the hanging furisode sleeves would be a nuisance in the long run. The hapi it was !

Choosing the fabric was fun. At first, I looked for old bolts of kimono fabric on eBay, but wasn’t thrilled with the prices or inadequate yardage. Quilting cottons were suggested for the hapi so I checked around on my usual fabric sites. Searching through beautiful prints on Style Maker Fabrics, I found my fabric: a vibrant butterfly print on a teal background. Even more serendipitous, it was made in Japan !

To set off the busy material, I chose a diminutive turquoise cotton from my local quilt shop to serve as the neckband fabric. A striking contrast, don’t you think ?

Designed to be worn over western clothing, the hapi was a stylish topper over a persimmon colored camisole and wide-legged pants, the latter of which was sewn from a beige silk noil. So earthy, so luxe !
To make the pants, I used the Harlow Pajamas pattern, which I first sewed for the Kurzak/Alagna Met concert.

Wearing a cross necklace was indicative of Butterfly’s conversion to Christianity before her marriage to Pinkerton. Thank you, Faith !

Carefully, I threaded my handmade kanzashi hair stick (original to my 2016 outfit) into the chic geisha bun my mother styled for me. Why don’t we wear these more often ?!

Those straight cut, modest sleeves were not a problem at all !

And look at how cute this purse is ! Bought at Cracker Barrel, my mother gave it to me for Easter. Little did she know it would be flying off to Butterfly with me.

Now that the 2023-2024 Live in HD season has wrapped, I can breathe a bit and begin to work on projects for next season, which promises to be a delight. See you there !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Cast and Credits:

Madama Butterfly ─ Giacomo Puccini (1904)
Live in HD air date: May 11, 2024

Cast:
Cio-Cio-San ─ Asmik Grigorian
Pinkerton ─ Jonathan Tetelman
Suzuki ─ Elizabeth DeShong
Sharpless ─ Lucas Meacham

Credits:
Conductor ─ Xian Zhang
Production ─ Anthony Minghella
Director and Choreographer ─ Carolyn Choa
Set Designer ─ Michael Levine
Costume Designer ─ Han Feng
Lighting Designer ─ Peter Mumford
Puppetry ─ Blind Summit Theatre
Revival Stage Director ─ Paula Williams
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Anthony Roth Costanzo

La Rondine

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I was first introduced to Puccini’s operetta, La Rondine, as part of the Met’s free nightly streams during Covid. The stars were Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna. Notoriously, the performance marked one of their last engagements before their infamous divorce proceedings in 2009. Remembering how captivated I was by the glittering sets, jaw-dropping costumes, and the soapy heartache I endured as the final scene played out made my most recent trip to the theater a much anticipated one.

Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu in La Rondine / Metropolitan Opera (2009)

A due share of my attraction to La Rondine is the theme of true love over riches and fame. As a courtesan, the disguised Magda cannot forgive herself when Ruggero wishes to marry her at the end of the opera. She has deceived him about her identity and virtue and cannot continue her lie into marriage and motherhood. In the 2009 performance, the breakup ripped my heart out. But due to a lack of chemistry between the two leads in the 2024 revival, I missed out on the emotional catharsis I was so eagerly expecting. For an operetta whose entire success depends on the strength of chemistry between the leading lovers, I was left unmoved and unsatisfied.

Jonathan Tetelman as Ruggero and Angel Blue as Magda in La Rondine / Metropolitan Opera

Rondine represented an opportunity for me to sew an artsy dress from the 1920’s, which stoked my creativity like an open flame. Looking through different designs of patterns with geometric influences, I aimed to have something similar in my dress that would be appropriate for the Art Deco era. A vintage construct from Lekala fit the bill.

Lekala 1920’s dress pattern

What made this pattern one of interest were the simple, yet striking, details. Having previously struggled with bias cuts of fabric and worse, sewing blocks together at inverted angles, I was a bit intimidated to tackle another slippery nightmare. The sparse instructions didn’t help. However, I was wholly surprised to find that the pattern came together so quickly and so easily.

The pictures don’t do this fabric justice ! I used a rayon/nylon shimmer satin from designer Maggy London in a dusty grape/mauve color. As with most of my fabric purchases, I bought this beauty from Fabric Mart Fabrics.

Confession: I don’t always accurately estimate the amount of fabric I need for each project. Such was the case with this dress. Therefore, I had to piece the lower back portions together and finished the new back seam (and side seams) with French seams. Piecing is period correct, correct ?

My mother was proud of her hairstyle for this one and I loved it. So elegant !

In order to make my flapper headband, I went to Joann Fabrics and found some odds and ends that seemed suitable: black sequin elastic on clearance, a brooch for $3.50, and plumage in the floral section. Shockingly, the headband only took me 10 minutes to fashion and that includes warming up the hot glue gun.

What’s a lady of the house to do without her strings of pearls ?! Accessorizing with lustrous orbs can never be out of vogue.

It truly is a pity that the operetta seen in theaters was without its springing passion. While many denounce La Rondine as being far from Puccini’s best work, it is filled with splendid music that aches for the true, soul love wealth cannot bring.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Casts and Credits

La Rondine ─ Giacomo Puccini (1917)
Live in HD air date: April 20, 2024

Cast:
Magda ─ Angel Blue
Ruggero ─ Jonathan Tetelman
Lisette ─ Emily Pogorelc
Prunier ─ Bekhzod Davronov
Rambaldo ─ Alfred Walker

Credits:
Conductor ─ Speranza Scappucci
Production ─ Nicolas Joël
Set Designer ─ Ezio Frigerio
Costume Designer ─ Franca Squarciapino
Lighting Designer ─ Duane Schuler
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Julia Bullock

Roméo et Juliette

Published on by operazhenshchina14 Comments

Often billed as “the world’s greatest love story,” there was no question whether or not I would see Roméo et Juliette, Gounod’s French iteration of the Shakespeare classic, when it came into the theaters. As the curtain rose to the sounds of a mighty orchestra and hallowed chorus, I couldn’t help but feel that this opera was going to be golden.

Benjamin Bernheim and Nadine Sierra in Roméo et Juliette / Metropolitan Opera

Much of the greatness in the performance came from the pairing of the leads. Nadine Sierra and Benjamin Bernheim were a seamless match as the tragic couple with the latter having a glib command of his native language. Their love passages dripped like honey and their easy chemistry was undeniable. It’s too bad that the Met’s satellites were plagued by inclement weather in NYC. The interruptions in the live transmission caused our local theater to miss the pivotal, romantic moments, like Juliette’s first look at Roméo and much of the wedding scene. What a pity !

The wedding scene from Roméo et Juliette / Metropolitan Opera

Bartlett Sher’s current production of Roméo et Juliette mostly keeps with tradition while adding extravagance and taking modest artistic liberties. Despite the production moving the story to the 18th century, I was set on creating something that was more in line with the Renaissance styles of the original “Romeo and Juliet” without becoming too fussy or historically accurate. Without searching for it, I stumbled across the perfect pattern on Etsy.

The lacy neckline of View B (center on the envelope) screamed out as my opera dress. Gold it had to be, not only because of the comparison to Juliette’s Act I gown in the Sher production, but also for its representation of sunny Verona.

Surprisingly, the pattern came together quickly and was a simple sew, but gosh, that waistline was high !

The sleeves were a standout feature of the gown with elasticated bands separating the upper puffs from the lower bells.

My mother took pride in styling my hair, twisting it into whimsical braids. I loved it !

While my mother enjoys living out her hairdresser aspirations in styling my hair for the opera, she’s not always enthused about my costume creations. In fact, she gave Juliette’s gold satin gown the kiss of death by saying that it ranked “up there with the Russian one.” The blunt remark caused me to burst into peals of laughter.

Although I wasn’t crazy about the unnaturally high waistline, this dress gave me all the feelings of a dreamy Renaissance maiden, just like Juliette.

And now, Opie’s ready for his close up ! Juliette had to have been a cat lover, right ?

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Cast and Credits:

Roméo et Juliette ─ Charles Gounod (1867)
Live in HD air date: March 23, 2024

Cast:
Juliette ─ Nadine Sierra
Roméo ─ Benjamin Bernheim
Stéphano ─ Samantha Hankey
Tybalt ─ Frederick Ballentine
Mercutio ─ Will Liverman
Frère Laurent ─ Alfred Walker

Credits:
Conductor ─ Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production ─ Bartlett Sher
Set Designer ─ Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer ─ Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer ─ Jennifer Tipton
Choreographer ─ Chase Brock
Fight Director ─ B.H. Barry
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Ryan Speedo Green