People of Lyric: Maureen Reilly

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of an opera production? We sat down with Lyric's Costume Director, Maureen Reilly, to get an inside look. With over 35 years of experience in the costume shop, she shares her insights on the creative and logistical challenges of creating costumes for operas, from sourcing fabrics to fitting performers. She also opens up about her favorite Lyric moments, as well as her passions beyond opera. If you've ever been curious about the world of costume design, read on for an enlightening conversation with one of the industry's top professionals.

What is your role at Lyric, and how long have you held this position?

I have worked in the costume shop for 35 years. I am currently the Costume Director and have held this position since 2000.

What led you to Lyric?

I was on the East Coast doing freelance costuming, when a friend from college who was working here told me there was an opening. Since I am from Chicago, I thought it might be nice to go home for a while and work with my friend. That was 1987.

What's a typical day like for you?

The best part about working here is that there is no such thing. We must always be flexible. When we are preparing for an opera, we will fit and alter every costume piece, and at the same time, members of our team compile detailed inventories, and photograph each costume, and work with stage management to create a costume plot for each performer. We keep track of every character’s costume changes — and that helps the performers to keep track, too. And of course while we are in production for one show we are preparing costumes for the rest of the season.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

We problem-solve all of the time. If we build new, we need to make sure that the fabric is still available — sometimes a difficult task when a show is 10 or 20 years old. With a new production, we have to wait for casting, which often gives us a short amount of time to build new costumes. I think our biggest challenge was creating Macbeth during COVID. Our designer couldn’t come to Chicago until one week after we started rehearsals. Our team pulled together looks for 70 choristers, put each look on a dress form, labelled it, and then sent a Power Point to the designer. He would approve, disapprove, and give us notes. Then we would make the corrections, start fitting, and take photos. He finally arrived, and only then could we begin fitting the principals.

How do the costumes actually get created?

That process usually starts two years before opening night. We create “build bibles” for each costume, which hold information on all the fabrics, measurements, and details, and then send them to the makers — some here at Lyric, and some in different parts of the country or Europe. If a costume needs to be distressed, we send it to our painters to give it an authentic look. Everyone on the team is ready to help.

Can you think of any particular production that made you especially proud?

There are so many — but I suppose working on the Ring cycle. The designer, Marie Jeanne Lecca, was such a creative force. I will always be saddened by the fact that we didn’t get to complete it. After four years of work, we came so close, and now I don’t know if we will ever get to see it. And Cait O’Connor’s La traviata. She was an artist first, designer second, and that world really came from somewhere deep inside of her.

What's something about your work that people might not know?

Sewing, whether altering or making new costumes, takes much longer than people would think.

Beyond opera, what are your other passions?

I am the chairman of a non-profit for adults with developmental disabilities, study Italian, run as a form of exercise, love going to Lollapalooza, and grow a vegetable garden every summer.

Any favorite Lyric moment?

There are so many. We are lucky to work with some of the most creative and talented designers in the world. Sir David McVicar as director and John Macfarlane as designer are a dream team. I wish that I could put into words how it feels. They start out with an idea which morphs several times until we get to the end. Watching from the wings is a viewpoint that most folks never get to experience. You see the performers, but you also see the many people working together backstage to make it happen. It’s magical, and I never forget how lucky I am to be a part of it.