So, last week was a Bye Week for the opera, but tonight brings the premiere of Fire Shut Up in My Bones, and given that I muttered "trigger warning" at the intermission of Rigoletto with its rapes and abductions, I don’t know how much I'm looking forward to an opera that might be about incest and sexual abuse. However, the author of the original book showed up on T.V. last week and if he comes I’m certain I could spot him due to his distinctive beard, so that’s exciting.
I am wearing my frayed fringed duster vest for the opera this week, in contrast with next week, when I am blinging out for the Coronation of Poppea.
A big part of the Coronation costume arrived last Friday:
It was purchased for twenty bucks on eBay, and I knew it would fit my tiny pea head because I had tried on similar ones at David's Bridal.
I told the saleswoman why I was getting a tiara at my advanced age, that it was for the opera, and I thought I had explained the situation completely when she asked me, "When's the happy occasion?"
I blinked at her a few times. "The opera? It's later this month." (Jeez, lady. Look at me.)
The e-Bay tiara is missing two rhinestones, but as they say, it'll never show on a galloping pony.
Yeah, see, I would expect "someone buying a tiara to wear to the opera" would be interesting enough that it'd break through the bridal-bridal-bridal script, but! Apparently not!
Also, you can always glue in new rhinestones, if you want; just haul it in to a craft store and find something sparkly that's near the right color and the right size. If it only has to "last" one night, you could even just use Elmer's glue! (this is mostly if the empty rhinestone sockets are appreciably darker than the rest of the piece, which is sometimes the case; but still: galloping horse; not a real problem)
Posted by: KC | June 15, 2019 at 10:32 AM
KC - I would do my own repairs, but the rhinestones are a particular shape I don’t have in my jewelry-making tote, and given that I didn’t notice it until it had been here for days, I’m okay with it staying as-is.
Posted by: TheQueen | June 15, 2019 at 04:27 PM
Yes, if you don't immediately notice, then don't bother! I was thinking of some missing-rhinestone tragedies I've seen, where the bright silver/chrome and the present rhinestones contrast sadly with the really dingy (or nearly-black) crannies where the absent rhinestones were wont to linger in their happier days. If their absence isn't blatant, then: opera without repairs!
(also! you have a jewelry-making tote??? What kind of jewelry?)
Posted by: KC | June 15, 2019 at 05:15 PM
KC -cheap, plastic / resin jewelry. That hobby did teach me how to repair existing jewelry, though, so that was a positive thing that came out of it.
Posted by: TheQueen | June 16, 2019 at 09:29 AM
Did you cast your own resin? (that process looks fabulous but also not for the chemically sensitive, I suspect) I'm currently in the process of learning my way around wire+needle nose pliers, for a project, so I'm keeping my ears out for various forms of jewelry-making (which often have some overlap?). :-)
It's lovely when transient hobbies come with durable Useful Life Skills! Congratulations!
Posted by: KC | June 16, 2019 at 08:26 PM
KC - oh, no, I never got beyond the basics. In high school I made a ring with a wax mold and poured heated metal, but I don’t have a kiln now that I’m an adult.
Posted by: TheQueen | June 17, 2019 at 08:17 AM
With resin you just mix two substances and pour into molds; not high equipment requirements, but reputedly stinky.
Lost-wax casting is SO COOL. I didn't get to make the cast or pour the metal, but I did get to make a wax model and have it converted into bronze (by professionals) once, and that whole feeling of "I made this and now it's in metal" was really surreal. Neatest art-history field trip ever. :-)
Posted by: KC | June 17, 2019 at 12:41 PM
KC - I used that oven bakeable resin a few times. Sculpey.
Posted by: TheQueen | June 18, 2019 at 08:38 PM