A frequent complaint by opera goers and non opera goers alike is the price of tickets. Opera is an expensive form of theatre to both produce and attend. Understanding how an opera comes together can help audiences appreciate where the price of their ticket is going.
Casting an Opera
Opera has become a busy international business. The days where an opera superstar arrived in a city for the length of the season have disappeared with the development of efficient air travel. These days, principal singers travel from one company to another, often to repeat a role for which they have become known.
Contracting well-known principals is part of a casting program for most companies that includes a mix of international, local and emerging artists in its principal roles. To guarantee the cast for a given opera, the major roles are usually cast about three years in advance. Supporting and compriamo roles are more frequently cast closer to the season with local singers.
The chorus is employed either by contract, in the case of smaller companies, or on a full time salary in a large company. In the case of the contract situation, choristers may receive offers on a yearly basis, or opera by opera. Actors, or supernumeries, who play non-singing roles, are usually contracted after an audition process for specific operas.
The Rehearsal Schedule
An opera rehearsal schedule can be divided into several basic stages. First are the music calls, where the chorus meet to study and hone their music, accompanied by the repetiteur playing a reduced piano version of the orchestral score. Principal singers have separate calls initially, and then the cast is brought together to polish the ensemble, finishing with the sitzprobe. This is a special music call of full cast and orchestra that is a non-stop run of the opera from beginning to end, usually held on the stage of the opera theatre.
Next are production rehearsals. These are held in studio venues belonging to the company, or hired specially. The cast wear comfortable, informal clothing to which can sometimes be added elements of their costumes where these are predicted to be difficult to manage, eg, a large crinoline petticoat. The director and stage crew are added to the required personnel, and the action is added to the production. Supernumaries, dancers and principals attend where required and the production begins to take shape.
Rehearsals in the theatre are split into two sections. Initially, they are just with piano accompaniment, but in full costume so the cast can accustom themselves to working in costume on the set. These are rehearsals where the director can fine tune the action on stage without incurring heavy costs of an orchestra sitting idle while the cast work. Next are the stage orchestral rehearsals, the bringing the orchestra into the pit. These rehearsals are run by the conductor to fine tune the music now that the cast is on stage and need to adjust balances and sight lines so that the music and the action both work within context.
Final rehearsals are the dress rehearsals. If it is a simple production, there may only be a single dress rehearsal. More complex productions will sometimes involve more than one. Like the sitzprobe, these run the opera from beginning to end, as near as possible to the way it will be in performance.
Opening Night at the Opera
Finally, after a six to eight week period, opening night arrives and all of the routines laid down during the rehearsal period come into their own as the artists arrive for the performance. Wardrobe, make up and wig staff are already in the theatre well in advance. The principals are called to a strict schedule to have make up done and wigs put on prior to donning costumes.
The chorus arrive at least half an hour prior to the curtain going up, sometimes earlier if their costumes and makeup are complex. In most companies, chorus members are responsible for their own make up, although wig staff will put their wigs on, as per the principals.
The orchestra arrive half an hour before curtain, and gather to tune in their rehearsal studio.
Fifteen minutes prior to curtain, the first calls from stage management start coming through the back stage area as the orchestra and then the artists are called to the stage or the performance.
The story is played out on the stage using all the resources of singers, instrumentalists, costumiers, milliners, designers, artists and conceptual staff. When the orchestra begins to play, and the curtain goes up, many weeks of hard work by many different people comes to fruition in the realisation of an idea from a librettist, composer and then a director.
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Karen Finch - Karen is a Sydney based freelance writer, artist and musician. To learn more, click on her name to read her profile.
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