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Slide Show: 50 Years of Magnificent Costumes at the Portland Opera

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Author: Portland Monthly
6 min.read
1Costume manager Frances Britt in her costume for Carmen, 1968
Costume manager Frances Britt in her costume for Carmen, 1968
2American premiere of Ernst Krenek’s Life of Orestes, 1975
American premiere of Ernst Krenek’s Life of Orestes, 1975
3American premiere of Ernst Krenek’s Life of Orestes, 1975
American premiere of Ernst Krenek’s Life of Orestes, 1975
4Costume manager Britt in her costume for La Traviata, 1975
Costume manager Britt in her costume for La Traviata, 1975
5Costume manager Britt in her costume for La Traviata, 1975
Costume manager Britt in her costume for La Traviata, 1975
6Die Fledermaus in Washington Park, 1976
Die Fledermaus in Washington Park, 1976
7Die Fledermaus in Washington Park, 1976
Die Fledermaus in Washington Park, 1976
8The Marriage of Figaro in Washington Park, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro in Washington Park, 1977
9The Marriage of Figaro in Washington Park, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro in Washington Park, 1977
10Macbeth, 1987
Macbeth, 1987
11Carmen, 1977
Frances Britt: "The first opera I sang in was Carmen in 1961. Back then, the opera was under the auspices of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Every summer we did an opera in Washington Park. The chorus was on risers, and it was windy. We were on one s
Frances Britt: “The first opera I sang in was Carmen in 1961. Back then, the opera was under the auspices of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Every summer we did an opera in Washington Park. The chorus was on risers, and it was windy. We were on one s
12Carmen, 1977
Frances Britt: "The first opera I sang in was Carmen in 1961. Back then, the opera was under the auspices of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Every summer we did an opera in Washington Park. The chorus was on risers, and it was windy. We were on one s
Frances Britt: “The first opera I sang in was Carmen in 1961. Back then, the opera was under the auspices of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Every summer we did an opera in Washington Park. The chorus was on risers, and it was windy. We were on one s
13Macbeth, 1987
Macbeth, 1987
14The Pearl Fishers, 1988
Frances Britt: "We rent shows, with their costumes and sets, more often than we build them, because it’s so expensive to build. We’ve gotten some pretty awful-looking alterations—made by other companies. Our saying is: 'send them to Portland Opera, and w
Frances Britt: “We rent shows, with their costumes and sets, more often than we build them, because it’s so expensive to build. We’ve gotten some pretty awful-looking alterations—made by other companies. Our saying is: ‘send them to Portland Opera, and w
15The Pearl Fishers, 1988
Frances Britt: "We rent shows, with their costumes and sets, more often than we build them, because it’s so expensive to build. We’ve gotten some pretty awful-looking alterations—made by other companies. Our saying is: 'send them to Portland Opera, and w
Frances Britt: “We rent shows, with their costumes and sets, more often than we build them, because it’s so expensive to build. We’ve gotten some pretty awful-looking alterations—made by other companies. Our saying is: ‘send them to Portland Opera, and w
16Aida, 1989-90
Frances Britt: "We had an elephant named Tiki here for Aida twice. All she did was walk across the stage with a bunch of supernumeraries, who were costumed as slaves. One night she bolted. I don’t know what spooked her, but she started running across the
Frances Britt: “We had an elephant named Tiki here for Aida twice. All she did was walk across the stage with a bunch of supernumeraries, who were costumed as slaves. One night she bolted. I don’t know what spooked her, but she started running across the
17Aida, 1989-90
Frances Britt: "We had an elephant named Tiki here for Aida twice. All she did was walk across the stage with a bunch of supernumeraries, who were costumed as slaves. One night she bolted. I don’t know what spooked her, but she started running across the
Frances Britt: “We had an elephant named Tiki here for Aida twice. All she did was walk across the stage with a bunch of supernumeraries, who were costumed as slaves. One night she bolted. I don’t know what spooked her, but she started running across the
18North American premiere of Reynaldo Hahn’s The Merchant of Venice, 1996, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
North American premiere of Reynaldo Hahn’s The Merchant of Venice, 1996, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
19Die Fledermaus, 1993-94
Die Fledermaus, 1993-94
20Die Fledermaus, 1993-94
Die Fledermaus, 1993-94
21Der Rosenkavalier, 1995-96
Frances Britt: "We usually get one difficult singer per show. We got a singer once who didn’t like the high neck of the costume—it was the period, what are you going to do? But she complained so much that we made her a new costume. Another problem is foo
Frances Britt: “We usually get one difficult singer per show. We got a singer once who didn’t like the high neck of the costume—it was the period, what are you going to do? But she complained so much that we made her a new costume. Another problem is foo
22The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Return appearance by BodyVox Dance Company
Return appearance by BodyVox Dance Company
23North American premiere of Reynaldo Hahn’s The Merchant of Venice, 1996, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
North American premiere of Reynaldo Hahn’s The Merchant of Venice, 1996, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
24The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
25Handel’s Julius Caesar is the company’s first baroque opera staging, 1999
The stage was covered in sand.
The stage was covered in sand.
26Handel’s Julius Caesar is the company’s first baroque opera staging, 1999
The stage was covered in sand.
The stage was covered in sand.
27The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Return appearance by BodyVox Dance Company
Return appearance by BodyVox Dance Company
28Turandot, 2003-4
Turandot, 2003-4
29The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
The Cunning Little Vixen, 2000, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
30Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
The company's second commercial recording
The company’s second commercial recording
31Turandot, 2003-4
Turandot, 2003-4
32
Frances Britt: "When we’re building our own production, usually the director is the big boss and says what he would like. Then the costume designer draws renderings and goes fabric shopping. Some are beautiful artists; others just draw stick characters i
Frances Britt: “When we’re building our own production, usually the director is the big boss and says what he would like. Then the costume designer draws renderings and goes fabric shopping. Some are beautiful artists; others just draw stick characters i
33The Magic Flue, 2006-07
The Magic Flue, 2006-07
34Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
35West Coast premiere of Philip Glass's Orphée, 2009
The performance was commercially recorded by Orange Mountain Music.
The performance was commercially recorded by Orange Mountain Music.
36
37Cosi fan Tutte, 2010
Cosi fan Tutte, 2010
38Der Rosenkavalier, 1995-96
Frances Britt: "We usually get one difficult singer per show. We got a singer once who didn’t like the high neck of the costume—it was the period, what are you going to do? But she complained so much that we made her a new costume. Another problem is foo
Frances Britt: “We usually get one difficult singer per show. We got a singer once who didn’t like the high neck of the costume—it was the period, what are you going to do? But she complained so much that we made her a new costume. Another problem is foo
39Carmina Burana and Pagliacci, 2010-2011, sets and costumes by Portland Opera with BodyVox Dancers
Frances Britt: "One of my very favorite operas we created is Carmina Burana. The chorus was in 1950s dress with hats, gloves, and purses I bought in thrift stores." BodyVox Dance Company developed out of the dance troupe that was assembled for the origin
Frances Britt: “One of my very favorite operas we created is Carmina Burana. The chorus was in 1950s dress with hats, gloves, and purses I bought in thrift stores.” BodyVox Dance Company developed out of the dance troupe that was assembled for the origin
40The Magic Flue, 2006-07
The Magic Flue, 2006-07
41Carmina Burana and Pagliacci, 2010-2011, sets and costumes by Portland Opera with BodyVox Dancers
Frances Britt: "We used the BodyVox dancers, and we had one of them dance with a big boa constrictor. The first time we were rehearsing, the snake handler walked through the chorus with the snake, and it freaked out one of the women so badly she almost h
Frances Britt: “We used the BodyVox dancers, and we had one of them dance with a big boa constrictor. The first time we were rehearsing, the snake handler walked through the chorus with the snake, and it freaked out one of the women so badly she almost h
42West Coast premiere of Philip Glass's Orphée, 2009
The performance was commercially recorded by Orange Mountain Music.
The performance was commercially recorded by Orange Mountain Music.
43Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
The company's second commercial recording
The company’s second commercial recording
44Cosi fan Tutte, 2010
Cosi fan Tutte, 2010
45Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Philip Glass’s Galileo Galilei, 2011-12, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
46Salome, 2013-14, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Frances Britt: "I’m going to be 79 in December. I never missed a day at work until 1997, when I broke my nose playing softball with the Portland Opera Divas. When I was thinking of retiring three years ago, one of the principal singers said, 'Frances, yo
Frances Britt: “I’m going to be 79 in December. I never missed a day at work until 1997, when I broke my nose playing softball with the Portland Opera Divas. When I was thinking of retiring three years ago, one of the principal singers said, ‘Frances, yo
47
Frances Britt: "When we’re building our own production, usually the director is the big boss and says what he would like. Then the costume designer draws renderings and goes fabric shopping. Some are beautiful artists; others just draw stick characters i
Frances Britt: “When we’re building our own production, usually the director is the big boss and says what he would like. Then the costume designer draws renderings and goes fabric shopping. Some are beautiful artists; others just draw stick characters i
48Carmina Burana and Pagliacci, 2010-2011, sets and costumes by Portland Opera with BodyVox Dancers
Frances Britt: "One of my very favorite operas we created is Carmina Burana. The chorus was in 1950s dress with hats, gloves, and purses I bought in thrift stores." BodyVox Dance Company developed out of the dance troupe that was assembled for the origin
Frances Britt: “One of my very favorite operas we created is Carmina Burana. The chorus was in 1950s dress with hats, gloves, and purses I bought in thrift stores.” BodyVox Dance Company developed out of the dance troupe that was assembled for the origin
49Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
50Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
51
52Carmina Burana and Pagliacci, 2010-2011, sets and costumes by Portland Opera with BodyVox Dancers
Frances Britt: "We used the BodyVox dancers, and we had one of them dance with a big boa constrictor. The first time we were rehearsing, the snake handler walked through the chorus with the snake, and it freaked out one of the women so badly she almost h
Frances Britt: “We used the BodyVox dancers, and we had one of them dance with a big boa constrictor. The first time we were rehearsing, the snake handler walked through the chorus with the snake, and it freaked out one of the women so badly she almost h
53Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
54Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Rinaldo, 2013, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
55Falstaff, 2013
Frances Britt: "There’s no comparison between what the opera is now to what it was in the 1960s. It was pretty amateurish. There were no rules; no one belonged to the union. Robert Bailey, who was here before Christopher Mattaliano [the current general d
Frances Britt: “There’s no comparison between what the opera is now to what it was in the 1960s. It was pretty amateurish. There were no rules; no one belonged to the union. Robert Bailey, who was here before Christopher Mattaliano [the current general d
56Falstaff, 2013
Frances Britt: "There’s no comparison between what the opera is now to what it was in the 1960s. It was pretty amateurish. There were no rules; no one belonged to the union. Robert Bailey, who was here before Christopher Mattaliano [the current general d
Frances Britt: “There’s no comparison between what the opera is now to what it was in the 1960s. It was pretty amateurish. There were no rules; no one belonged to the union. Robert Bailey, who was here before Christopher Mattaliano [the current general d
57Salome, 2013-14, sets and costumes by Portland Opera
Frances Britt: "I’m going to be 79 in December. I never missed a day at work until 1997, when I broke my nose playing softball with the Portland Opera Divas. When I was thinking of retiring three years ago, one of the principal singers said, 'Frances, yo
Frances Britt: “I’m going to be 79 in December. I never missed a day at work until 1997, when I broke my nose playing softball with the Portland Opera Divas. When I was thinking of retiring three years ago, one of the principal singers said, ‘Frances, yo
58Costume manager Frances Britt in her costume for Carmen, 1968
Costume manager Frances Britt in her costume for Carmen, 1968

In 1964, Portland Opera staged its first show, Die Fledermaus, in Madison High School’s cafeteria. Frances Britt was a chorus girl with the fledgling company, which had branched off from a city-organized event. Since then, she’s been involved in almost every one of the opera’s 219 productions. After swapping her role as singer for the backstage duties of costume manager in 1982, Britt has sewn thousands of outfits, creating new ones for the company’s original productions and altering costumes from shows rented from other opera houses. As Portland Opera begins its 50th-anniversary
season this month (with Die Fledermaus, of course) we talk with the woman who has seen, and dressed, it all. Watch for the full story in our November issue.




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