Designing Costumes: Behind the Scenes at Verdi's La Traviata

January 2010 - hweisse
A Sounds of Learning Program with the Opera Company of Philadelphia
Target Audience: 
Students in Grades 9-12
Cost: 
FREE
Requirements for Participation: 

MAGPI Members: There are 10 spaces available for MAGPI Members. Members must have H.323 videoconferencing capabilities.

The Opera Company of Philadelphia presents Verdi's La Traviata in May, 2010.  Join us as we meet OCP's award-winning Costume Director  Richard St. Clair.  Richard will talk about the design process, the research involved in creating a costume, working with singers to create the perfect costume just for them, and more. 

Students should  have a reasonable grasp of the opera's plot and characters in order to participate in the program. In part of the program, guest Richard St. Clair, a professional costume designer who has designed thousands of costumes for the Opera Company and theater productions, will talk about his design process.

Participating schools in the Greater Philadelphia area will receive a special invitation to attend the final dress rehearsal of the opera. You will receive more information about this opportunity after you register.

Pre-Videoconference Activities

  • Review OCP Sounds of Learning materials including a review of the opera's plot.
  • Review audio/video clips from La Traviata (available on YouTube)
  • Design a Costume: Students may wish to design their own costume as based on an activity in the provided student guide to gain some insight into the process. It is encouraged that students read the provided opera plot synopsis and have a good understanding of the characters in the opera. These materials will be provided by the Opera Company.
  • Develop Questions: Students should come prepared with questions for Richard St. Clair.  Questions may be about his inspirations, when he stared designing, why design for the theater instead of the fashion world, what it's like to work with temperamental divas, his proudest accomplishment and more.

A Note about Program Resources

The Opera Company provides a 40-page student workbook and an ancillary teacher workbook which is over 80 pages. Also included are a CD-Rom with additional materials and an audio CD of highlights from the opera.  If the participating school is outside the Philadelphia area, the Opera Company will send the teacher packet to the school and provide the student work book for download.