The Opera House Machine

[Chas]

I recently came across this interactive website, it shows the backstage workings of the Royal Opera House, watch and see how back stage works, all to lovely Wagner music, this was filmed long after I retired though, but it's the same as when I was there.
When there I worked in most of the departments, stage crew, flys but mainly stage lighting, even helped out in the wardrobe at times but the longest I worked in one dept was for fourteen and a half years in lighting control, you can see that on camera 5. Total time at the ROH, thirty eight years, I would have got less for murder, joking aside it was a great job, if I was fit enough I'd love to do it all over again, being able to hear live music all day and getting to travel the world on tour, making lots of good friends I'm still in contact with now.
My wife still works there as House Manager but she's taking early retirement next August, then we'll both start travelling the world unfortunately not in the 80, she says she's more 4 star than 4x4
I hope you all enjoy this it was a great life, I miss so many aspects of it.

http://www.roh.org.uk/interactives/opera-machine

 

[uHu]

The Opera Machine is a great experience. The "Our Camera Cut" option/button works as a very entertaining documentary. Thanx for sharing, and I understand your enthusiasm. Would have been a great place to work, by the looks of it.

 

[flint]

Thanks for posting the interesting opera link Chas. On a much smaller scale, Years ago, I sometimes used to cart about scenery, costumes and props for a travelling opera company . The performers were all seasoned pros and generally put on a good, professional performance, with only occasional histrionics. I usually got roped in as ASM and sometimes as an extra (non singing !). It was hard work, but generally good fun with occasional “bloopers” to liven things up. On one performance of Hansel and Gretel, I slightly overdid the backstage pyrotechnics for when the oven explodes, no injuries but a huge bang and many years of dust fell from the roof. Fortunately someone in the slightly stunned audience saw the funny side and much laughter followed. I think that was in an old theatre in Glasgow. One story I remember being told was about a performance in New York of Tosca, and when the heroine hurled herself off the battlements, the back stage crew replaced the usual mattresses put there to break her fall with a trampoline and when the rather amply proportioned performer launched herself into the darkness, she bounced back up into sight. Hoho !

 

[Chas]

Thanks for posting the interesting opera link Chas. On a much smaller scale, Years ago, I sometimes used to cart about scenery, costumes and props for a travelling opera company . The performers were all seasoned pros and generally put on a good, professional performance, with only occasional histrionics. I usually got roped in as ASM and sometimes as an extra (non singing !). It was hard work, but generally good fun with occasional “bloopers” to liven things up. On one performance of Hansel and Gretel, I slightly overdid the backstage pyrotechnics for when the oven explodes, no injuries but a huge bang and many years of dust fell from the roof. Fortunately someone in the slightly stunned audience saw the funny side and much laughter followed. I think that was in an old theatre in Glasgow. One story I remember being told was about a performance in New York of Tosca, and when the heroine hurled herself off the battlements, the back stage crew replaced the usual mattresses put there to break her fall with a trampoline and when the rather amply proportioned performer launched herself into the darkness, she bounced back up into sight. Hoho !

I've heard that Tosca story too, it was at The Met in New York, it could have been the Royal Opera on tour, I heard that the Diva in question was a very self important type who had upset the local crew and this was their revenge.
I have appeared in costume on stage in Turandot, there was a scene where a large 'moon' was flown in and back lit from a spot on stage which couldn't be in position until the moon was in to hide it, obviously this had to be done quickly so there was I to retrieve the spot from behind a nearby piece of scenery and focus it on the back of the moon and strike it prior to the moon flying out.
It's one thing to hear a chorus but to be there stood in the middle of the stage with the chorus in full song was something never to be forgotten.
I also appeared in a modern ballet, we were rehearsing it and I was about to cross the stage from PS to OP when a cloth flew out and I would have been seen but the ASM said it's OK, go ahead, well the director out front saw me cross and said I want that kept in so I was paid extra just to walk across the stage on cue, on the last night performance I did it rolling a fag.