Costumes on Stage

Opera Atelier Costume for the Countess, Marriage of Figaro
Design by Martha Mann
Photo by Ingrid Mida, copyright 2010

Have you ever wondered how a costume comes into being? How does a director express his vision, how does the designer interpret that into a sketch and how does the cutter translate the sketch into a garment? These are the questions that a panel of three distinguished speakers will address at the ROM's Costumes on Stage event on Saturday, September 25, 2010. 

Opera Atelier's co-founder and co-director Marshall Pynkowski will lead off the event in a discussion with Textiles and Costume curator Dr. Alexandra Palmer about the process of conceiving a vision for a production. Then dancers from the Opera Atelier will demonstrate costumes in motion with a performance on stage.

Martha Mann, Marshall Pynkowski and Rita Brown
Photo by Ingrid Mida, copyright 2010

Following a break, award winning costume designer Martha Mann will talk about the process of interpreting the the director's vision to create a costume sketch. And then Rita Brown, costumer/cutter for the Shaw Festival, will talk about the process of creating a garment from a sketch.  

This event, hosted by the Friends of the Textile and Costume at the Royal Ontario Museum,    is an absolute must for afficiandos of the opera, ballet or theatre, as well as students of fashion design, art history or theatre programs. Tickets are available now.