Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Fall 2025 51 the group followed behind. In the 1890s, after electricity was available, the huge ceiling chandelier was removed from the main auditorium and later split into two smaller chandeliers that now hang in the Crush Room. We observed them adorning this gilded, public dining room (dating from 1858), open during performances. One day I hope to order the refreshing, signature treat: orange and lemon over crushed ice, which I imagine tastes similar to a slushy or snow cone. Next stop was the pit lobby where we sat on cushioned benches around a wall. Overhead were posters, paintings, and photographs, two of which particularly caught my fancy. Taken around Christmas 1938, the first was of the royal family arriving at a performance of Red Riding Hood when Queen Elizabeth II was twelve. The second was the first Aida, the nineteenth-century Italian soprano Adelina Patti who commanded a huge salary. Supposedly, Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) described her as having "the most beautiful voice I've ever heard." Astonishingly, there were 3,700 diamonds from Patti's private collection in her La Traviata dress, and for protection, two policemen were positioned onstage dressed as members of the chorus! We saw sample miniature, scale models (called black boxes) of proposed sets, which always need approval before construction. Twenty-seven computer-driven wagons can change the real sets in only nine seconds! But it takes considerably longer to change stage floors. Operas need flooring to support very heavy sets, while ballet dancers need a springy surface. Four seating levels—stalls, stall circle, grand tier, and balcony—accommodate an audience of 2,256. Our guide's cell phone lit the way as we quietly entered the dark auditorium on the highest level and sat in seats without armrests. Far below on the immense stage— almost forty-five feet in front of the curtain, as well as behind, and forty feet high—we observed a staging rehearsal for Wagner's Das Reingold. According to Welsh tenor Bryn Terfel, the best acoustics in the house are the balcony seats in the middle of Row M—exactly where we were—not in the visible royal box farther down! We watched the singers for several minutes; unfortunately, we heard no music to confirm his opinion. Above was an impressive aqua and gold domed ceiling. When our guide beckoned us to follow, everyone in the group was disappointed we had to leave. Our guide, a trained dancer, spoke passionately about all things balletic during the final part of the tour. I learned that ballerinas must be adept at sewing in order to precisely attach satin ribbons to their multiple pairs of pointe shoes. Often more than one pair is needed for each performance, but the company pays for all of them. In particular, this amounts to a quarter of a million British pounds annually! Furthermore, ballerinas don't attach labels to identify their tutus nor hand-stitch the many layers of tulle of which they are made. For storage, twenty tutus are stacked inside out and upside down on three-wheeled tutu trees. Holding a tutu in front of my body, I smiled as I recalled my own ballet recital seven decades ago. Back to reality a few moments later, we walked by a bright, large room with mirrors, barres, and a piano set up to accompany daily ballet classes in one of six ballet studios. Briefly, we watched a young male dancer's private session. The final stop was the costume storeroom where we observed row after row of costumes hanging on racks. An ozone chamber removes any organism from the costumes within forty- five minutes before shipment to Wales for storage. The room is not open for tours on Wednesday, when garments are switched for subsequent performances. Fortunately, our Tuesday tour did not restrict this area. My Behind the Scenes Tour lasted about one hour fifteen minutes. A 10% gift shop discount is included in the tour admission. Years ago, I had purchased a miniature paperweight of the gorgeous domed ceiling. This time I didn't buy anything, but rather added mental memorabilia about this incredible venue. Jayne I. Hanlin is an initiate of Alpha Omicron and current member of the St. Louis Alumnae chapter. Mrs. Hanlin, the sister of famed pianist Malcolm Frager, is the co- author of Learning Latin Through Mythology (Cambridge University Press, 1991). A Wld of Music

• Cover