Intermission at the Met

During the second intermission of the live broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's "Die Walküre" today (heard on WRR 101.1 fm), there was a brief interview with David Sylvester, the Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor. His job is making sure each singer arrives on stage wearing his costume just as the designer intended.

Sometimes singers are not thrilled with their costume and pretend to have lost part of it. Sometimes they want to wear their costume in a manner they consider more personally interesting, comfortable, or flattering.

Oh, geez, can I relate?! My students are always trying to lose their hats or wear their jackets upside down. Sometimes they get confused about which coat hook is theirs. More often they have pink furry princess parka envy, and just "borrow" someone else's coat.

Does this David Sylvester person ever have to teach the singers to spread their costume out on the floor, stand by the collar or hood, put their arms in the sleeves, and flip the whole garment up over their head? Does he have to stand behind them and reach around to zip their zippers, lining up the engine and coal car before pulling the train along the track?

I have a lot of experience reminding my little singers to fetch their lunchboxes and the notes from their cubbies. I could easily expand my repertoire to remind singers to fetch their swords, veils, and mustaches. True, my little singers are singing Looby Loo* in raspy false baritones with contorted lyrics, but the skills required for the job are the same.

Most tellingly, Mr. Sylvester reports his essential role reminding soloists to use the facilities. "Did you go before you put on your costume?," he asks them. "Are you sure?"

I've been asking this question professionally since I went back to work in 1994. Before that I asked it at home for a decade. True, I was the Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor for snowsuits, swim lessons, karate class, scout meetings, and peewee sports teams, not the Metropolitan Opera. But David Sylvester didn't say anything about asking the singers if they remembered to fuh-fuh-fluh-flush and wah-wah-wash their hands!

*My students prefer these Looby Loo lyrics:

Here we go looby loo
Here we go looby light
Here we go looby loo
Hickory dickory dock!

[repeat ad nauseum]


© 2008 Nancy L. Ruder