December 8, 2006
Wow! We are beginning to see the bigger picture. Costumes, some make-up, wigs. This morning we will begin stage orchestra rehearsals. That means we will have the orchestra in the pit for the first time. They have their own drama down there by the way. They hum, tap their instruments in very jazzy rhythms and chant “Hashi wu.” This may be the first time that the chorus has singing competition from the orchestra. Speaking of the chorus, they have several numbers that remind me of Puccini’s Turandot. Soaring melodic lines, exalting China and its Emperor. Definitely hum-able.

Since I did mention the costumes previously, I have learned a few things. The costumes with the “leaves” of embroidery belong to our Peking Opera singer, Wu Hsing-Kuo. He begins the opera with traditional singing/intoning, inviting the audience into the story. It’s sort of a variation of the prologue to Pagliacci, Chinese style. Tan Dun told us the other day that the style of the costume is traditional but more what would have been worn in the 19th century. Wu Hsing-Kuo wears a hat that has a face on the back. His costume also is two-sided, so when he turns around, you have a yin/yang message. This hidden-side message is reflected in the chorus as well. They wear helmets in the first act with a face on the back so when they turn around and face upstage there is this very eerie effect of being spied upon. Eyes always watching, seeing…….or the many faces of China?

Seeing our Shaman, Michelle DeYoung, come out in costume was amazing. The robe looks aboriginal, with designs and feathers layered on the sleeves. Her make-up is arresting, using a striking purple on part of her face and neck. She is a soul from another reality, chanting and using a wide range of swooping sounds to bring in the unseen world. It has been an exciting challenge for her to mix her singing with these improvised sounds, as she creates the role for the first time.

Saturday, 12.9.06
We had costumes and makeup the past few days. It is so interesting to see all of the principals with black hair. Placido looks nothing like himself He also has a beard and mustache as does Paul Groves. Paul looked a little like Jesus yesterday because he was in white robes with his hair down.

I watched the last part of Act II on Thursday and the scene with the chorus is very colorful and impressive. They are in many-hued costumes and fill the steps. An authentic Chinese bell is played, struck by a log. Tan Dun worked numerous times with the fellow (in costume) ringing the bell. It must be awkward and hard to hit the right spot. Tan would yell out - more, not less, no, wrong spot, etc. I am not sure the bell spot is a sure thing at all. To me it sounds great no matter what. The water phones onstage are also a great effect. The players are now in black so they look otherworldly.

Technically the show is going a little better. We had orchestra yesterday and since we have had Steven, our asst. conductor, doing most of the rehearsals as Tan Dun listened from the house, we were not as accustomed to Tan Duns’s conducting style. A lot of us, myself included, were off by a beat or two times. We also were used to the percussive style of the piano and once with orchestra that gets lost and the beat is less well defined- hence the need for a conductor. There are numerous video monitors- in the wings, out in house- but it was still tricky. I think Donna, our prompter, may have to keep a strict beat for us to see. Tan will be very busy with the orchestra.

There is talk that there will be a few small cuts in the beginning of the show. I guess we will know more on Monday. There are still some acoustical issues and I am not sure what the answer to those is. Any noise the dancers made is fixed. Duane’s lighting is really fabulous. The chorus is very effective. One more week to go until dress rehearsal a week from Monday.

We were called to restage some of the Act II scene 2, yesterday afternoon. Monday we will do Act II with orchestra, Tuesday the entire show with orchestra, Wednesday with piano, Friday with orchestra.

My first act costume was much more comfortable without the armor. The two other costumes are that intense orange color and I feel regal in them. I have found many more arm movements and gestures in them. Stephen, the make-up aritst, did a great job making me up to look Asian. I have had him a lot at the Met and really like and trust him. My dresser is relatively new. Her name is Marilyn. So far so good. Vicky, who is my favorite and grew up near Riverside (IL) dresses the soprano who is normally the leading lady anyway.

The wardrobe, makeup/hair and chorus people are all exhausted. The chorus had been at “Don Carlo” the night before until after midnight and then sang an 11:00 AM rehearsal having to arrive early for makeup and costumes. I don’t know how they do it. They have 7 shows a week and right now there are some heavy chorus shows. The running crews, and performers usually only have one day free a week. The other house staff, accounting, publicity etc. have two days off. It is a grueling schedule. At least once we open the singers have days off but the rest continue to work very long days.

Now two days off for me.

December 5, 2006

Tomorrow on stage we are about to see a real display of the costumes. Emi Wada, our costume designer, has been incredibly busy with her assistant and all of the people in the costume shop. As the costume shop bursts at the seams, so to speak, we are even seeing costumes appear in the hallways. In fact, yesterday when I went into my office, there were two beautiful kimonos outside in the hall, with brilliant emerald green central panels and multi-colored sleeves. Stunning. When I left the office 30 minutes later, these had been replaced with a rose kimono of Yue Yang, and several garments with vibrant “leaves” of embroidery. I do hope that there are pictures online so you can see how brilliant they are, in every sense. The amount of work in these garments is staggering and the symbolism in them is indicative of so much of the Eastern culture in this piece. Emi Wada has put patterns of bricks in them (remember the Great Wall?). As the opera progresses, the costumes of our principals become richer in hue and in bricks! Gao Jianli will go from a picture of a slave to one who has been elevated to the highest echelon in the emperor’s court as his composer. A great analogy. I wonder what Tan Dun will wear………