Backstage in Bastille with the artists

Welcome to the Paris Bastille Opera ! I’m lost in this huge building : more than 30 meters high,thousands of square meters.It's very impressive and, of course, a badge is required.

Everything is made and designed in Bastille : there are several workshops for costume creation, costume transformation, shoe-making, wig-making, hats etc…

And you know what ? There are so many shows everybody is kept busy. At least 30 dressers work on the different programmes.

I worked on a ballet « Nutcracker », then on a lyric show « Werther », starring the famous tenor Jonas Kauffman. I also worked on another lyric show « The sleepwalker » with Natalie Dessay and on the rehearsal of Wagner's  « L'or du Rhin ».

During my training period, I did all the activities of a dresser : costume maintenance (sewing, washing, altering different costumes) and the preparation of the dressing-rooms for the actors.

But, of course, the most exciting moment was durind the shows when I dressed the artists!

It's always a strange feeling to be backstage during the show. You are with the artists and you share and understand their fear and their excitement

Gwladys