Tag: Richard Strauss

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

Der Rosenkavalier, Circa 1911

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Richard Strauss must have had an unusual sense of humor. While Der Rosenkavalier is not as much of a cerebral conundrum as Ariadne auf Naxos, the wild comic relief of the former opera is enough to cement its composer as a farcical magician. Offsetting Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s risible libretto, Strauss’s music melts into euphoric rhapsody. Those Viennese parlor strings throughout the opera whisk me away to paradise like a celestial chariot racing towards the clouds.

Although Rosenkavalier is a longstanding favorite of mine, I was especially elated to hear such a wonderful cast. When Lise Davidsen is performing, it’s always a treat and I looked forward to seeing her as the Marschallin with Samantha Hankey as her teenage lover, Octavian. Both sounded superb. However, the gap in stature between the two made for awkward visuals on stage.

Samantha Hankey as Octavian and Lise Davidsen as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

The supporting cast more than contributed to the performance’s success. There is not a better Sophie, nor Baron Ochs, than Erin Morley and Günther Groissböck, respectively. Bravi !

Erin Morley as Sophie, Günther Groissböck as Baron Ochs, and Samantha Hankey as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

Besides the intriguing triple role play of the character Octavian, I am most fascinated by the Marschallin in the opera. She’s clever, foreseeing, a lady of means, and sings some of the most achingly beautiful music in Act I. When I think of Der Rosenkavalier, it is she who first comes to mind.

Lise Davidsen as the Marschallin / Metropolitan Opera

Wisely, Robert Carsen’s smart production is set in 1911 Austria, the year the opera premiered, and is a departure from the original 18th century dictates. However, the updated setting feels so hand-in-glove that I don’t long for the panniers and pompadours of old. With the year of the production as a fountain of inspiration, my objective was to create an outfit that was strictly 1911 in its silhouette and mode. I learned much of the fashion trends of the time from this article: http://thevintagesite.com/?p=1399

Fashions from 1911

A skirt suit with pleats and an endless supply of buttons seemed en vogue for the year. When I found a 1911/12 reproduction pattern on Etsy, I bought the PDF file and taped the printed pages together. Because I was concerned that a vintage pattern would be significantly smaller than my own measurements, I made a mock-up, which turned out fine. Time to cut the fabric !

Vintage Pattern Lending Library

Choosing the right material was key. After much deliberation and research, I found a sumptuous raw silk chevron suiting from Folkwear that was just the perfect color of cream to pair with some leftover black wool suiting that I intended to use for the collar and belt of the dress. With a modest price tag for 100% silk, it was a steal.
Lastly, I used Elsewhen Millinery’s Imogen hat pattern for a voluminous “bird’s nest” hat straight from the 1910’s. The result was pleasing (albeit, my finished hat was a bit too snug).

Elsewhen Millinery’s Imogen Hat

And, ta-da… an Edwardian lady !

The instructions for the dress were sparse, yet adequate, but I didn’t follow them precisely. Instead, I scrutinized photos from a blog post of a lady who had sewn the pattern for a garden party. Her descriptions and detailed construction photos helped tremendously.

On purpose, I didn’t sew the back skirt pleats over the darts since I was concerned about the skirt being too tight. Gracefully, they fell in loose folds into a slight train at the back.

And a secret: I used Velcro to close the dress ! Although it was never my desire, time constraints forced me to do the unthinkable. Sometime, when life isn’t so busy, I plan to make things “right” with this dress and sew buttonholes or a more proper closure.

Wearing my comfy silk dress with it’s sharp black accents, lace chemisette, hat, and leather gloves made me feel like a First Lady ! So elegant and regal was the ensemble… why don’t women dress like this anymore ?!

A rambunctious romp, wistful reflection, and a silk suit dress worthy of a lady… Der Rosenkavalier makes for an artful trio.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Cast and Credits

Der Rosenkavalier ─ Richard Strauss (1911)
Live in HD air date: April 15, 2023

Cast:
Marschallin ─ Lise Davidsen
Octavian ─ Samantha Hankey
Sophie ─ Erin Morley
Annina ─ Katharine Goeldner
Italian Singer ─ René Barbera
Valzacchi ─ Thomas Ehenstein
Faninal ─ Brian Mulligan
Baron Ochs ─ Günther Groissböck

Credits:
Conductor ─ Simone Young
Production ─ Robert Carsen
Set Designer ─ Paul Steinberg
Costume Designer ─ Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lighting Designers ─ Robert Carsen, Peter Van Praet
Choreographer ─ Philippe Giraudeau
Revival Stage Director ─ Paula Suozzi
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Deborah Voigt

Ariadne auf Naxos

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If there is an opera that causes more bouts of stifled exasperation or muddled confusion than Ariadne auf Naxos, its title remains a mystery. The music─ sublime, the plot─ a headscratcher; Strauss’s “opera within an opera” elicits both “ahhs !” as well as “huhs ?!” At least, that’s how I felt when I viewed the opera as part of the Met’s free streaming that was offered when the house was dark.
Armed with the illuminating advantage of past experience, I had my reasons for attending this current Ariadne, but none greater than to see and hear Lise Davidsen as the prima donna/exiled goddess.

Lise Davidsen in Ariadne auf Naxos / Metropolitan Opera

With the voice of a titan and the face of a schoolgirl, there is little doubt that Lise is a star. Unleashing her full power during “Es gibt ein Reich” was like having a blast of thunder rattle your bones. An answer of satisfaction was given to the promulgated hype, but what took me by surprise was the caliber of the performances given by the other singers. Isabel Leonard’s frustrated idealism as the Composer won my fervent applause.

Isabel Leonard in Ariadne auf Naxos / Metropolitan Opera

Opera seria interpolated with an Italian farce sounds strange, but the plot of Ariadne auf Naxos was much clearer to me the second time around and really deserves a further listen. With the cast that performed and the resplendent orchestra of the Met, that task was highly agreeable.

A scene from Ariadne auf Naxos

Despite being the titular character of the opera, Ariadne is not that interesting of a leading lady. She’s weepy, melancholy, and a touch morbid over her present fate of lonesome exile. She may have a great aria, but for the most part, her character is just “blah” until Bacchus sails in and whisks her away to the heavens. However, there is a complete comic foil to Ariadne’s gloominess: the coquettish clown, Zerbinetta.

Lise Davidsen as Ariadne and Brenda Rae as Zerbinetta / Metropolitan Opera

When I watched the 2003 Ariadne auf Naxos with Deborah Voigt and Natalie Dessay, I was captivated by the spitfire vocalism and personality of the coloratura soprano, Zerbinetta. She steals the show, every time. In addition to her dynamic role, she also has the best costume in the whimsical Elijah Moshinsky production ─ harlequin from top to toe with 18th century embellishments. Who would want to play Ariadne when Zerbinetta’s character and outfit are so much fun ?! My costume choice was easy: harlequin, please !

I made everything about my outfit, excluding the tights and shoes. While it was one of the most labor-intensive projects I’ve completed to date, all the components played together into a kaleidoscopic array of FUN ! All that was needed was a little bit of sass…

As a creator, I love all my “children,” but this outfit, which started out as entirely white, was an especial favorite. And that hat ! Would you believe that it was made out of felt and cardstock ?! The cockade of feathers and tulle tufts solidified my look as uniquely “Zerbinetta.”

It was impossible not to be happy while wearing this outfit, at the same time seeing its double on the big screen. And it was impossible not to be enchanted by Strauss’s dreamy (and quirky) Ariadne auf Naxos.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

For the ‘step-by-step’ on how I created Zerbinetta’s kaleidoscopic harlequin costume, check out the post below:
https://costumeclosetcouture.com/2022/04/04/diamonds-are-a-girls-best-friend-zerbinettas-harlequin-costume/

Cast and Credits:

Ariadne auf Naxos ─ Richard Strauss (1912)
Live in HD air date: March 12, 2022

Cast:
Ariadne ─ Lise Davidsen
Zerbinetta ─ Brenda Rae
Composer ─ Isabel Leonard
Bacchus ─ Brandon Jovanovich
Harlequin ─ Sean Michael Plumb
Music Master ─ Johannes Martin Kränzle
Major-Domo ─ Wolfgang Brendel

Credits:
Conductor ─ Marek Janowski
Production ─ Elijah Moshinsky
Set and Costume Designer ─ Michael Yeargan
Lighting Designer ─ Gil Wechsler
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Matthew Polenzani

Wagnerians in Concert

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Over the years, I have found that the more I am exposed to Wagner, the more I love it. It’s complex, lush, and completely absorbing if given the right circumstances. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who harbors a cultish hankering for Wagnerian music. And so, off to Chris’s we go for another Met Stars Live in Concert series !

Broadcast live from the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, the grand foyer proved to be one of the most gorgeous settings for a concert with the lighting shifting to fit the mood of each song. Although the program was not entirely Wagnerian (a thimbleful of R. Strauss was thrown into the mix), the quartet of Elza van den Heever, Christine Goerke, Andreas Schager, and Michael Volle made the most of the arias and duets… and the staircases ! There was a choreographed sequence of how the singers would enter and exit to avoid cutting into the next performance all while capitalizing on the thespian potential of the Neo-Baroque architecture.

The Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany

The greatest (and most accurate) of these tableaux came during the penultimate number with Elza van den Heever and Christine Goerke acting out the duet from Act II of Lohengrin, complete with balcony betrayal. Juicy !

The Cuisine

Our afterparty fare was a European hodgepodge of Gruyère and Bleu, open faced canapés, sauerkraut salad (similar to Korean kimchi), Riesling, and… banana bread. Well, it was almost European.

The recipe for the banana bread is an adapted version of Cookie and Kate’s Whole Wheat Banana Bread with maple syrup as the sweetener (and butter in place of the oil). For years it has been one of my go-to staples for a “No White Flour, No White Sugar” treat. Thanks, Kate !

The Clothes

In thinking of a Wagnerian-inspired outfit, several elements came to mind:
1) Medieval gowns with long, wide sleeves
2) Knights in chainmail
3) Leather, lots of leather

Each of these characteristics can usually be observed during a typical Wagnerian opera. However, I wanted to create a more modern look and sought to avoid the following fashion pitfalls insomuch as looking like a:
1) Gothic punk
2) Biker
3) Cosplayer

A challenge, indeed. Leaving the angel sleeves behind, the rest of my outfit gave me just the right combination of Wagnerian features with a completely modern appeal.

The outfit and the concert were a terrific celebration and reminder of why I enjoy Wagner so much: drama and beauty intertwined as the complete work of art.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

How exactly did I create my sequin tunic ? The answers can be found in my accompanying tutorial post: https://costumeclosetcouture.com/2021/05/29/sequin-mail-drafting-a-cowl-neck-chainmail-tunic/

Cast and Credits

Wagnerians in Concert
Hessisches Staatstheater
Wiesbaden, Germany
Live broadcast date: May 8, 2021
(Date seen: May 20, 2021)

Elza van den Heever ─ soprano
Christine Goerke ─ soprano
Andreas Schager ─ tenor
Michael Volle ─ bass-baritone
Craig Terry ─ piano

Met Stars Live in Concert: Lise Davidsen

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Relatively unknown to the world, dramatic soprano Lise Davidsen has been forging a meteoric rise to stardom with her powerful voice that has some critics calling her “the great Wagnerian promise of her generation.” With as much hype (and height ─ Lise is nearly 6’2″ !) surrounding the shy, Norwegian native, my interest in seeing this uncut gem perform was keener than usual.

Lise Davidsen performing at Oscarshall Palace with James Baillieu accompanying / Metropolitan Opera

Although lacking the total confidence that accompanies decades of professional stage experience, Lise’s humble, offhanded spirit brought a refreshing genuineness to her performance, which included a weighted set list of Wagnerian arias, Grieg, Verdi, and Strauss. There was a little bit of everything, so much so that the program felt like a potluck dinner party. Britten’s “Johnny” was playful with sultry low notes, Strauss’s Op. 27 was sublime, and “I Could Have Danced All Night” was a sugary charmer with James Baillieu’s scrumptious piano tip-tapping away. Adding to the ambiance was the stately Oscarshall Palace dining room, which easily recalled images of “Beauty and the Beast” to my fairy tale mind.

Lise Davidsen and James Baillieu performing at Oscarshall Palace in Oslo, Norway / Metropolitan Opera

The Cuisine

Known for its simplicity and seafood, catering our escape to Norway brought out new ideas and enticing recipes to attempt. Chris couldn’t resist trying her hand at gravlax and it was a smashing success ! Cured with salt, sugar, peppercorns, and dill, the sliced salmon was flavorful yet subtle.

Pairing marvelously with traditional mustard dill sauce, minced red onion, and a dribbling of capers, the feast was in running order. Please examine the filigreed handle on the spoon: coincidentally, it says ‘Oslo’ ─ how fitting !

Caraway crackers and rye bread were used as the foundation for the salmon and just look at how gorgeous Anne’s cheese tray was next to my platter of homemade cookies !

From left to right: Danish blue, Jarlsberg, and Havarti with dill

We do eat well at our little opera watch parties, that’s for certain ! The table was spread with delicacies from “The Land of the Midnight Sun” with a fanfare of ligonberry napkins serving as a makeshift flower arrangement.

You wish you were here with me !

Originally planning to bring a rye flour cardamon yeast bread with raisins, I scrapped that endeavour after the initial test run was a complete flop. I then switched my focus to traditional Norwegian Christmas cookies, like sirupsnippers and coconut macaroons…

Because of my dietary restrictions, I made the cookies with rye flour, coconut sugar, and maple syrup ─ no white flour, no white sugar ! The macaroons were especially artistic with their torched tips of flaked coconut.

The Clothes

When the concert location was announced, there was no hesitation as to what I would wear. Earlier in the year, I had sewn a Norwegian bunad costume for The Flying Dutchman that never was and so I’ve had a skirt and vest laying around the nether regions of my bedroom for months. Now with the perfect opportunity, I wore one of my mother’s blouses (swooping collar turned right side in for greater authenticity) under my sewn additions, which were based off a German dirndl pattern.

The palm trees in the background certainly don’t match the sub-arctic Norwegian landscape, but at least my outfit resembled the North Country. Mission accomplished !

Told by the cut caricatures of the sirupsnipper cookies, the fourth Met Stars Live In Concert event could be summed up as such:

“From the forests of Norway…

…rising star Lise Davidsen brought her talents to a concert…

…broadcast around the world…

…where she won our hearts !“

Hopefully, Lise Davidsen’s return to the Met will be soon; her voice (in addition to her country’s culinary specialties) were delectable !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Cast and Credits

Met Stars Live in Concert: Lise Davidsen
Oscarshall Palace
Oslo, Norway
Live broadcast date: August 29, 2020
(Date seen: September 2, 2020)

Lise Davidsen ─ soprano
James Baillieu ─ piano

Der Rosenkavalier

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Richard Strauss’s galloping social comedy of class and sex was a double shot of caffeine that left me both breathless and exhilarated. Although originally set in the 1700’s, the latest Met redux advanced the story to 1911, the year that the opera first premiered while coinciding with the cusp of World War I and the disappearance of the Habsburg empire.

Günther Groissböck (center) as Baron Ochs and Renée Fleming as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

Uniquely, this was to be the farewell of Renée Fleming and Elīna Garanča, both retiring their respective roles as the worldly and wistful Marschallin and her adolescent lover, Octavian. It’s really a pity ─ both were superb, but especially the latter, who had me completely under the spell of her masculine alter ego. Their affair may have been short-lived, but their legacy will live on !

Elīna Garanča as Octavian and Renée Fleming as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

Equally scintillating were Günther Groissböck as the hilariously oafish Baron Ochs and Erin Morely as the dainty debutante, Sophie. In fact, I would venture so far as to deem the cast as nearly immaculate: I couldn’t imagine better singing actors to play each role, especially in regards to the stratagems and horseplay of the opera. My sides were splitting !

Erin Morely as Sophie and Günther Groissböck as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier / Metropolitan Opera

Since Edwardian was the style à la mode, I did my best to try and capture the time period using what I had one hand. My mother’s red Christmas dress, worn in the late 1980’s, offered a classic silhouette that could surely mimic the matronly Marschallin. To tie in the ecru lace collar along the neckline, I crocheted a pair of gloves to further my ideal of the graceful Edwardian lady.

The makings of a lady

The hat, oh! the hat…

How many times are the fashionable ladies of the early 20th century pictured without some enormous feathered and flowered chapeau nesting upon their updo ? Hardly ever ! I needed something spectacular to set off the conservative frock. So I snatched an old Panama laying around from years ago and padded the crown with wads of cotton to eliminate the outer indentions. Then, I sandwiched the brim of the hat with two large cardboard “donuts” and applied copious amounts of duct tape to secure the layers from shifting.

A swath of vibrant scarlet velvet was tucked into the newly expanded brim and reshaped crown. Out of the same velvet I stitched a gigantic bow and attached it to the back of the hat…

A bouquet of red roses (Walmart’s Finest) and gold Christmas bow were all that were needed to christen my hat for Edwardian greatness.

Elegant and ostentatious… just like the ladies of the Edwardian era and Strauss’s brilliant Der Rosenkavalier !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Cast and Credits:

Der Rosenkavalier ─ Richard Strauss (1911)
Live in HD air date: May 13, 2017

Cast:
The Marschallin ─ Renée Fleming
Octavian ─ Elīna Garanča
Sophie ─ Erin Morely
Baron Ochs ─ Günther Groissböck
Faninal ─ Markus Brück
An Italian Singer ─ Matthew Polenzani

Credits:
Conductor ─ Sebastian Weigle
Production ─ Robert Carsen
Set Designer ─ Paul Steinberg
Costume Designer ─ Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lighting Designers ─ Robert Carsen, Peter Van Praet
Choreographer ─ Philippe Giraudeau
Live in HD Director ─ Gary Halvorson
Host ─ Matthew Polenzani