Our new production of The Clemency of Titus features some pretty realistic stage effects. Like setting the entire stage on fire (yeah, you read that right). It took a team of 100 more than a year to create these state-of-the-art effects, and the results are mind-blowing.
Through a series of three behind-the-scenes videos, take a look at how we created stage magic in The Clemency of Titus. Can you guess how many sheets of gold leaf are meticulously applied onto the stage walls? The numbers may surprise you.
Inventing Fire
We can get pretty crafty at LA Opera. For example, we used a mixture of silk organza fabric (approximately 150 feet of it) and projected video images to create the realistic fire effects at the end of Act I. Pretty cool (err… hot?), right?
Building the Set
All good things take time. And The Clemency of Titus is no exception. A team of about 100 production staff members created the brand new set in about 16 months. And that includes everything from the preliminary sketches to actually building the set itself.
Optical Illusions
Not everything is what it seems, and the chandeliers we constructed are no exception. We used a combination of plywood, pine steel and paint to get that 3-D effect. They were traced, cut out, laminated and finally cleaned up, all before they finally lit up the stage.
Now you know our secrets to creating stage magic. Will we see you at the show?
Click here for more information or to purchase tickets to The Clemency of Titus.
