The Layout of “Mozart Reimagined” is Underway

I just wanted to write a quick update to tell you that I am currently putting together the book, which is called “Mozart Reimagined”. The book will have nearly 100 photographs illustrating Mozart’s operas with costumes made by myself (with some help from Catey, Camille and my Mom). Each opera that Mozart composed is represented in the book by both photos and an essay talking about the opera those photos illustrate.

“Mozart Reimagined” 1st draft layout being made.

Above you will see a picture of the first draft layout. I wanted to prove I was actually working on it! I’ve had the advice of a graphic designer to make some tweaks to the layout and I should be sending off a for a proof of the book at the beginning of next week!

I will keep you all updated on my progress!

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One Delightful Day – Final Photograph Taken

Sometimes life isn’t all that sentimental. Even though I’ve been taking photos which illustrate the operas of Mozart for just-shy-of a decade, the last photo shoot for the project did not make me feel too many emotions. In fact, I had planned to do this photo just around the time my father died, and I had to put it on hold to run my Father’s estate. After all that was finished, I sat down, looked through all my Mozart photos, made a list of what was needed to finish the project, where I could use old photos rather than taking new ones, and discovered that only one image was required to finish the photography part of the book. The feeling I got was “git ‘er done!” more than anything!

I wanted to Illustrate Act II of “La Clemenza di Tito”, which means “The Clemency of Titus”, an opera about a princess who plots to assassinate the emperor and the boy she’s hired to do her dirty work. For years I had been planning a cool Greco-Roman inspired dress for the Princess, Vitellia, but after my new project “A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters” cropped up, I decided to use the only dress that I made for Mozart Project but never got around to using.

My cousin Elizabeth came to portray Vitellia, and my friend Jake came to portray the would-be-assassin, Sesto.

Elizabeth and Jake prepare to model as Vitellia and Sesto for my final Mozart Photo.

Jake and Elizabeth have both appeared in Mozart Project in different photos over the years. Jake appears as Hyacinth in “Apollo et Hyacinthus”, and Elizabeth portrayed Susanna from “The Marriage of Figaro” around six years ago. Jake also portrayed Sesto for the other images taken to illustrate this opera all those years ago, and is actually reprising his role.

Jake and his magic mechanical cigarette.

The final shot for this project was done outside, and is the only digital image in the entire book. All the rest of the images were taken with 35mm film. The reason I did this is because (as Chantell and Cortney are no doubt aware) my last film photo negatives took me over a year to get around to scanning, and frankly, the cost and time it takes to do film have taken their toll. After this photo, film will be reserved for very special occasions, and will not be my main medium.

Elizabeth’s headdress kept drifting during the shoot.

Now that all of my Mozart Project photos are taken, there are only around five images left to edit or composite! One is a very large undertaking – the Idomeneo royal family image requires SO much work — and the others will be finished shortly. I hope to finish and put together this project as a book sometime in 2015, and will certainly keep you all updated on what is going on there.

Here is a behind-the-scenes image of Jake around 6 years ago when he first portrayed Sesto.

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Happy Birthday Mozart!

It’s Mozart’s Birthday again! This marks Mozart’s 258th birthday.

The Mozarts. (Wolfgang, left, Constanze, right)

Ever since my father passed away, I’ve had to put my Mozart project on the backburner. It was all scheduled to be finished last year, but running the estate made it too difficult, and I had to cancel all of my plans. However, I did manage to work one photoshoot in for “La Finata Semplice”.

I once made a beautiful custom gown for a woman on Etsy. A few years later she sent it back for some alterations to the bust and waist. I asked if I could use it in a photoshoot, and she said yes! So in that limited window, I had to take my final picture to illustrate the opera “La Finta Semplice”.

Two sisters, Cortney and Chantell Bury agreed to model for me!

Cortney Bury, Tyson Vick, Chantell Bury

In the past few months I have also been finishing the written part of my Mozart Project book. I am writing a short essay on every single opera, and I only have a few left. I have to brush up on “Bastien und Bastienne”, “Zaide” and “Don Giovanni”. I also have to commit to writing about “Die Zauberflote”, but it’s really difficult because I know too much about it, and my mind wanders.

Hopefully everything will come together in time! If you want to see some more of my costuming, please remember to visit steampunkmonsters.com!