Costume Change

There can’t be many operas where the hero(ine) gets to wear the same costume for all three acts. Such an occasion is the 2003 production of Gluck’s “Orphée et Eurydice” given by the Bayerische Staatsoper under Ivor Bolton. In the first Act Vesselina Kasarova as Orphée is dressed, like the members of the chorus, both male and female, in a tailed evening suit with white waistcoat and winged collared shirt. Her only costume change is when the jacket is removed during the singing of  the bravura aria ”Amour, viens rendre à mon âme” – oh, and she rolls up the shirt sleeves !

Now there’s nothing like a mezzo in a tux to cheer a White Shirt’s weekend. And if that mezzo is Frau Kasarova as Orphée then so much the better.

Just one sartorial dilemma though … With the jacket or without?

With …?

….  or without?

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Let me run that past you again

With …. ?

 …..  or without?

All photos are screengrabs from the video of the production mentioned above

What do you think folks? it’s a tough call isn’t it?   I may just have to settle in with the DVD and a nice bottle of Clos des Mouches to work it out [ again ! ]

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Whatever costume changes you are planning for yourself  [ or for a friend ? ]

HAVE A WONDERFUL WHITE SHIRT WEEKEND