Sale at the Bonn Opera Costumes from over six decades up for grabs

Bonn · There was a big rush at the costume sale of the Bonn Theatre in the opera foyer: After a two-year break, the handmade costumes from past theatre, opera and dance productions were in great demand.

 Costumes from past productions are on sale at the Bonn Opera House.

Costumes from past productions are on sale at the Bonn Opera House.

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

The oldest costume for sale is from the 1960s. The most expensive piece, which costs 100 euros, is from the La Traviata performance in the early 90s. "A total of 2175 pieces of clothing are hanging here," says the costume director at the Bonn Theatre, Adelheid Pohlmann.

For the first time after a two-year break due to corona, a costume sale by the theatre, opera and dance took place again on Monday evening in the foyer of the opera house in Bonn. Even before it began, around four hundred people were queuing outside waiting to get in.

The costume pieces are in high demand

"We should open the doors now," says Pohlmann at just before six o'clock. Within seconds, costume and theatre enthusiasts stream into the foyer, where costume pieces from different productions hang on numerous clothes rails. The cheapest pieces can be bought for one euro.

Many eager shoppers have their arms full of colourful garments. "Number one fits the bill," says Sida Nies, who grew up in Bonn. "When I was a student, I was dating the son of the then choir director of the opera," the pensioner recalls as she tries on her next piece: A green blouse. "Number two fits too," she says with satisfaction, praising the workmanship of the clothes. "They sew great, it's handwork. It's all super." Now, she says, she wants to jump into the fray again to find more matching pieces.

Costumes and clothes for every occasion

Laurin Fritz (19) is wearing a very eye-catching piece of clothing. The blue-green glittering dress immediately catches the eye. "I do drag shows, so I always need new costumes," says Fritz. In such a show, artists dress up as men or women and dance, sing or act for their audience.

No less inconspicuous are the two cosplayers Alexia Castor and Robyn Rohr. As fans of various films, anime or video games, they artistically portray their idols at so-called cosplay gatherings. Alexia Castor, for example, tries on a beige evening gown decorated with golden and white tendrils. "This is supposed to be the white queen from Alice in Wonderland," the young woman explains.

Hans Schmitz, standing at the edge of the room holding his wife's clothes, has not found a costume for himself - but he hasn't been looking for one either. "I'm glad when I find my wife again afterwards," he says with a smile. He is only there as a companion, he reports, leafing through the opera's programme booklet.

Most of them, like Hans Schmitz's wife, buy clothes that they want to wear in everyday life - not just at carnival. By the way, everything is sold: shirts, trousers, dresses, jackets or fancy capes. All sizes, shapes and colours are there. Adelheid Pohlmann explains: "The fund manager and I sorted out everything together. She says it was a lot of work to look through all the pieces in the fundus and decide which costumes could be reused for productions and which would be discarded.

"We don't sell hats and shoes here." Pohlmann explains that some of the shoes wear out quickly, especially during rehearsals. In addition, she would have the possibility to make costumes in the house, but there is no milliner or cobbler. Even though the sale is taking place for the first time in three years, there are not many more pieces than usual: "In 2020 there were 2152 pieces hanging here, today there are 23 pieces more because it's 2023, I thought," says Pohlmann and laughs.

Popular pieces sell quickly

Within minutes, the clothes racks in the opera house have emptied. Visitors stand in queues in front of the booths and at the box office. Numerous pillars in the room are equipped with large mirrors in front of which people can change clothes and examine their booty.

Even at just before seven, people are still standing in front of the entrance. The queue at the cash desk is getting longer and longer and leads through the room in several loops. Those queuing seem happy. "You look at happy faces here," confirms Hans Schmitz, who is also waiting in the queue with his wife by now.

A little ahead of him are Melanie Käufer and Silke Spilles. The young women each have a jumper in bright yellow in their hands, decorated with fringes. "It's going to be a partner costume at carnival," Spilles explains and reveals with amusement, "We're going as the plucked chickens."

(Original text: Felizia Schug; Translation: Mareike Graepel)

Meistgelesen
Neueste Artikel
Zum Thema
Aus dem Ressort