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IN THIS ISSUE

Timeless: IconicNovember 2012

6-8 Editor’s Letter & Masthead

10 Style Listings

12 Rare Fashion Bird

14 Fashion Listings

16 Mentoring Fashion Maven

18 Art Listings

20 Gallery Girl

22 Dance Listings

24 Reinvented Nutcracker

26 Music Listings

28 Bumbry Effect

30 In Your Face

32 Lifelong Textile Affair

34 Orange Times

48 Marie Antoinette

54 Autumn Winds

60 Feathers

70 Knit Knights

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EDITOR’S LETTERTimeless: without beginning or end; eternal; everlasting

Iconic: relating to, resembling or having the characteristic of an icon

We’ve approached the time of year to give thanks for what we have, and to begin reflecting on the past year, while looking toward the future of the next. With that, we thought it would be a unique idea to capture the essence of both industry icons as well as emerging talents.

Our listings showcase brief snapshots of designers, artists, and performers we love, while introducing you to new industry names. The current interviews are geared around influential leaders of their particular industry, but who also influence other business around them. Our written section is closed out with a look into the re-imagination of The Nutcracker, as well as two unique exhibits displaying the iconic works of famed fashion photographer Mario Testino and textile designer Zandra Rhodes.

This month’s gorgeous photography takes a ride through time, opening with a contemporary & boldly dressed model, going back to a modern look at Marie Antoinette. Our issue closes with a feathered headdress followed by a captivating knitwear shoot leaving much to the imagination.

Stay tuned for our annual holiday issue!

Joseph GualtiereEditor-In-Chief | Publisher

Photography: Hatnim Lee & Gina Rose Epifano

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Photography: Robert G. BartholotStyling: Vintage

Model: Daria Marchik

Joseph Gualtiere Editor-In-Chief

Nora Kobrenik Lindsay WynnCreative Directors

Chris EvangelistaPublic Relations Director

Kimberly Behling Marketing Assistant

Miranda DorianFashion Editor

Stephanie MontesAccessories Editor

Christie ConnolleyMusic Editor

Jane TaylorTheater Editor

Bayla GottesmanDance Editor

Michael TornatoStreet Style Editor

Contributing Photographers:Jennifer Avello, Robert G. Bartholot, Julia Blank,

Fernando Gomez, Emma Lauren

Photographer: Fernando GómezMakeup, Hair & Styling: Quino Amador Photography Assistant: Rosa MatillaModel: Raquel Arias

www.UptempoMagazine.com

Heidi Gardner Illesteva

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Gardener grew up a classically trained ballerina, and eventually evolved into a prolific painter. Heavily guarded as a child through her boarding school years, Heidi’s artistic proclivities were repressed and suffocated. Her imaginary world became a remarkably dark and wondrous realm from which she develops her intricate and haunting designs. She describes her jewelry as a purgatory in which creatures, forms, and art become one.Her canvas work embraces the essence of life and death through the inherent beauty of naked skeletal structures and disassembled, sometimes deformed creatures.

Illesteva was founded in 2009 by Justin Salguero, Daniel Silberman and Alina Silberman. The glasses are handmade in France, Italy and Germany in concert with the world’s leading manufacturers of luxury eyewear. Illesteva pushes normal boundaries of design by exploring fresh shapes and materials like acetate, bamboo, wood, titanium and natural buffalo horn with each new frame design.

Ivy Kirzhner

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Pamela Love

Ivy Kirzhner came from a family of fashion designers and artists, growing up in New York City she knew from early on that she wanted to do something a little different but still in fashion. She’s a graduate of NYC’s famed Fashion Institute of Technology where she majored in Accessories mainly shoes and handbags. She has worked with the likes of Dolce Vita footwear before joining The Camuto Group and starting her own footwear company Ivy Kirzhner.

Pamela Love was born in New York in 1982 and raised in South Florida. After she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television production from New York University’s famed Tisch School of the Arts, Pamela explored positions in the fashion and arts industries before designing jewelry as a full-time profession, she started her own jewelry company in 2006.

Photography: Mr. Brawlio Elias

The Rare Fashion BirdProfiling Style Icon Iris Apfel

By: Stephanie Montes

Iris Apfel is a rare fashion bird who emanates style, fashion, and creativity. To our delight, Apfel offers up a unique take on style, “Curiosity after all, leads to confidence which is one’s best accessory.” When someone wears her/his confidence, it is such an empowering feeling. Iris Apfel obviously understands this concept rather well. Her unique and outlandish style such as a Mongolian Lamb fur sling bag over her multi-colored patterned trench coat appears lively while holding attention. Of course we cannot forget her influence on the fashion & style world. From her Chained Link two row bracelet to her Clear Crystal Snake 18” necklace, her designs are best known for originality.

She began in the fashion industry more than 60 years ago with her husband in textile design company named “Old World Weavers” where she began to understand the importance of fabrics and design. She had an impressive clientele including nine presidents. She later rejoined the fashion realm with an exhibit at the Costume Institute in 2005, also launching a MAC cosmetic line. She joined HSN for a costume jewelry collection and created a line for her own unique handbags. Her most signature style are a pair of giant “O” shaped black glasses which bring a sense of sophistication yet playfulness and a strong presence of self to the room.

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Apfel confessed to a lack of social media tendencies. She doesn’t have a Twitter or Facebook making us wonder who exactly is on her social media. She swears, “…on everything holy I don’t research myself on the internet.” Apfel doesn’t have an idea to what is said about her. Well, whatever is said about her, you cannot deny the originality and creativity that comes from this woman. How could you deny her the title of fashion icon? A woman who wakes up at the break of dawn-four in the morning to be exact-to shop the flea markets and claim it to be fun! It’s an eccentric but difficult job of being a fashionista but someone has to do it. The fashion world leaves it up to Iris Apfel to scour the unknown for the most fashionable finds.

I love her motto, “Great personal style is an extreme curiosity about yourself.” It allows one to explore who they are and what one would like to show to the world. What does Iris show us exactly? Well, to not be afraid of dressing as loudly and unique as possible. I agree completely. Take her handbag line “Extinctions” which has an array of fabrics and designs including leather, Mongolian Lamb fur, snakeskin, hair calf, and her trademark turquoise lining in the handbag. Her handbags are great with plenty of room for the busy modern day customer, especially in the 21st century where we tend to carry an Ipad, cell phone, the latest edi t ion of Vogue , and other essentials. You can find her handbag line at Henri Bendel and Bloomingdales where they retail for around $370 to $640. The cost and quality comes hand in hand considering the excellence of the handbags and the uniqueness of each one. You can’t go wrong with that as the consumer! You get a great handbag that’s not only fashionable but comes at a reasonable price.

She has a distinctive concept to her “logo” on her handbags-a dodo bird. Where did this concept come from? At a dinner party a friend reminded her of Apfel’s popular title “Rare fashion bird,” so they figured why not use the extinct bird the dodo? Apfel loved the idea and now uses the bird as her another trademark signature to her line.

Original and exclusive, you got it! That is exactly what Apfel is known for and is able to express in her handbag line. Her handbags are excellent for everyday uses: dinners, casual outings, going to the grocery store, movies, or a date night. As she would like to put it, her bright tangerine hued purse in Mongolian lamb fur-gorgeous, long, and shaggy-goes great with a pair of jeans. Yes, Iris Apfel has recommend jeans! Everyone should at have least two pairs. Anyone can honestly say jeans are a significant wardrobe piece. However, Apfel has a different perspective on the high heel, an item that most women have, she is not fond of.

When asked about flats over heels she states, “Oh, I always like flats. I don’t like heels with skirts or even some pants. Heels can feel kind of…hookerish.” I’m sure there are some who would disagree and there are some readers who are rejoicing in a hallelujah chorus but, flats are a great way to showcase Iris’s need for coziness and being stylish all at the same time. Which most of

us can agree upon 100 percent!

Her amazing jewelry line for HSN, Rara Avis , showcases from very distinct pieces to simple classic pieces, every piece unique in its own design. All at affordable prices, standing out each in vibrant colors and mix matching capabilities. Her designs range from owl pendent necklaces to her famous (and preferred color) turquoise colored carved bangles. She adds a little oomph by mixing and matching all of her jewelry together but

rest assured that you can wear each piece on its own. Some of my favorite pieces are the beaded twisted two tone 24” necklace, the Adriatic Pear shaped blue ring, and the Clear Crystal Snake 18” necklace that can be used with any little black dress.

Iris Apfel has been able to give the fashion world inspiration for being original, creative, and curious. She was the muse for Joanna Mastroianni at New York’s prestigious Fashion Week in 2012. She inspired the designer’s entire collection, creating designs with bold textures and colors, a great representation of Mrs. Apfel of course. At her 91 years of age, she is still able to express her desire and intrigue for her vision on fashion and style. She is truly a great inspiration and I hope that we can all take a lesson from her. Be curious, after all it leads to confidence, one’s best accessory.

“Curiosity after all, leads to confidence

which is one’s best accessory”

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Catherine Malandrino Mimi Plange

Born to Italian parents in the French Alps, Catherine Malandrino went on to graduate from Esmod. She then worked in the Paris couture houses of Dorothée Bis, Louis Féraud, Emanuel Ungaro, and in the 1990s was the creative force at the French label "Et Vous" in Paris. Malandrino currently designs two collections: her contemporary Catherine Malandrino line and her runway line Malandrino which features shoes and accessor ies i nc lud ing jewe l ry, handbags, and belts.

Mimi Plange is a strong believer in producing beautiful and long-lasting clothes with superior workmanship and construction. Ghanaian born and Southern California raised, Plange began her eponymous luxury ready-to-wear label, formally known as Boudoir D’huitres, in 2007 with a desire to create American sportswear inspired by Victorian and African historical fashion. She then went on to work as a designer for various sportswear brands, collaborating with Patricia Field and working under Rachel Roy before establishing her own fashion-consulting firm, SB&P Designs, LLC, the parent company of Mimi Plange.

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Zang Toi Helen Yarmak

Zang Toi was born in the Kuala Krai district in the state of Kelantan on in 1961. Toi left his native Malaysia at the age of eighteen, and via Toronto, landed in New York a year later. There he attended Parsons School of Design and interned with Mary Jane Marcasiano and Ronaldus Shamask. In 1989, with a modest collection of bright sarongs, strong suits and regal dresses, he opened his own atelier. Zang Toi launched his new line of fine makeup with Amazing Cosmetics at his Spring 2013 runway show.

Helen (Elena) Yarmak is a founder and designer of the Helen Yarmak fashion house (originally based in Moscow, RF). Having been born in Kiev she has graduated from Kiev State University and then worked by calling in a Cybernetic Research Institute. Yarmak started to create and produce clothes in the early 90's. House's first models have been labelled "Helen" when in a little while "Helen Yarmak" brand appeared and became popular all around the world.

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Photography: Mr. Brawlio Elias

The Mentoring Fashion MavenFern Mallis Talks past, present, & future

Fern Mallis has been granting the fashion industry with innovative ideas for decades, molding her into a status of iconography. She's often seen front row at New York Fashion Week, which she carefully created while serving as Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Since then, Mallis has expanded her reach to multiple countries, and has appeared judging competitions such as America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, & Bravo’s The Fashion Show. On top of her industry-related success, Mallis’ philanthropic & mentoring efforts have provided many with support and advice. Get to know the legend in the front row, you may just learn a few things!

Was fashion a priority to you growing up? Were you raised in a fashion conscious environment?

My father and all of my uncles worked in the garment industry. I was surrounded by the industry and its energy.

When exactly did you know for a fact that your future was in fashion?

I don't think its something you ever know. To this day, I believe I can have a career in different industries as well. But when I won a contest to be guest editor at Madomoiselle Magazine it helped set a course.

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Photography: Todd Lee

Favorite designers growing up? Favorite designers today?

When I was growing up I was not conscious of specific designers. It was a very different time and atmosphere... My taste is varied. What I wear depends on the event and occasion. I am still a big supporter of American designers and those who are pals of mine. I wear a great amount of clothes from Indian designers and I have a small selection of European designers.. How did the launch of The Tents at Bryant Park come to be? Did you ever anticipate it would grow to be as successful as it has been?

It was a good idea and all the planets were aligned. It has succeeded in a global way that has exceeded all of my expectations!

The Tents at Bryant Park changed the way we view fashion on a global level, was that the original goal?

It was not the original intent. Its creation was to provide a safe and affordable platform for American designers to show their collections. It was also to encourage more designers to put o n r u n w a y s h o w s . T h e organization and the talent began attracting a global audience.

What are your thoughts on the new Tents at Lincoln Center, a n d i n d e p e n d e n t s h o w locations around New York?

They all serve a function and do the job of providing organized and produced show spaces. Unfortunately there are way too many shows in New York and a shortage of hours and spaces to produce them.

You’ve become a professional inspiration to so many designers, entrepreneurs, editors, and more. Who was your own inspiration?

I have always been inspired by the collective creativity of the industry and hundreds of people who give up their time and services. People who work hard to change the model and break ground are the ones who inspire me.

In what ways would you like to see the industry change?

I would like to see manufacturing back in the USA providing more jobs. I also wish there wasn't such an emphasis on the very thin. I really wish more designers wouldn't stop at a size 10 or 12. They need to make clothes for real women! Also it would be nice if everything wasn't so expensive.. Clothing has become so expensive at the mid to designer level!

Art plays a critical part in our daily lives. Do you have any favorite artists?

I appreciate many different artists and styles of art. From impressionists to Modern Era, from Picasso to Matisse to Jackson Pollock and Warhol. From contemporary artists like Richard Estes to new comer Alexandra Metcalf.

How do you feel art inspires fashion? What designers do you feel represent an artistic vision in their collections.

Novels could be written about this! But I think almost every good designer is influenced by art and the culture around them. Marc Jacobs is a specific example of this, who has done collaborations with different artists.

Your designer interview series has become quite p o p u l a r. A r e t h e r e a n y designers or industry leaders you’ve yet to interview that you’d love to sit down with?

Yes there are many but I can't yet reveal them yet!What’s the next major fashion venture for Fern Mallis LLC?

Everything I'm doing now is keeping me extremely busy! My collection Fern Finds: in HSN is one of them.

Is there anything you want to accomplish professionally in the long run that you haven't already?

T h e r e a r e a l w a y s n e w opportunities to discover and new ground to break. I'm pleased with what I have accomplished and have not hung up my hat yet.

What is your favorite city besides NYC to host a fashion week? What would be your next dream location to host or organize one?

I have always been fond of Fashion week in Mumbai. I don't dream about other places to do a Fashion Week. I think there are enough in the world!

You’re known as a mentor to many in the industry. What advice do you have for your entrepreneurs looking to pursue careers in the fashion industry?

My advice is to be nice. Always stay focused. Work in the fashion industry is still work with a capital W. It's not a game of glamour! If you're good and persevere, you could be happy and it could be very rewarding!

“I think almost every good designer is influenced by art and the culture around

them.”

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Camomile Hixon Carolanna Parlato

Glitter is the medium of choice for Manhattan artist Camomile Hixon who explores pop culture with super-sized messages, images, and symbols, and she also creates gl i t ter environments and super-sized three-dimensional flower installations using cellophane. Certain paintings composed of huge, glittering letters explore the layered meanings and subtle textures of words. She describes these paintings as "poetry fragments without the movement of melody." Other paintings of fireworks and flowers are meditations in which she seeks to "expand moments in time where ephemeral beauty becomes something more tangible."

Carolanna Parlato is a New York City based artist most famous for her ability to look for a place where artifice and "the Natural" can co-exist. She observes colors in her everyday life, from the plastic goods piled high in a 99-cent store to the pastels of the late afternoon sky. She then compresses natural forms with synthetic, eye-popping colors in densely layered surfaces. Through abstract gestures, cartoon references and Pop aesthetics she wishes to evoke a new sense of "the natural."

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Xaviera Simmons Ruby Sky Stiler

Xaviera Simmons presents her newest work in an installation of correlating photography and sculpture. Simmons' photographs fluctuate between the real and the staged as manifested in an ongoing series where the landscape is a central feature. Photographs from her l a tes t I ndex Se r ies gene ra te a compositional complexity that continues beyond the frame by flattening fabrics, beads, hair, masks and other various objects into intricate arrangements.

Ruby Sky Stiler is a Maine born artist who is known for her sculptures, vases and paintings in a way that makes one think of both classical marble figures and modern paintings and collages, while not exactly being either one. Stiller is a graduate of Yale University and Rhode Island’s School of Design.

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The Gallery Girl Emerging Art Expert Amy Poliakoff

Who was the first person who introduced you to the art world?

Growing up, I was exposed to the arts through the collecting efforts of my family along with the cultural creativity both my mother and father instilled in me. Both of my parents exposed me to museums, galleries, opera, and plays. Being from Miami I was further awarded the opportunity of being exposed to the greatest international art fair of this country, and attended Art Basel with my Father every year.

Who in the art world was most influential to you growing up?

The University of Miami introduced me to Paula Harper, a feminist art historian and professor at the University of Miami, and afforded me a window to her mind through her eloquent and emotionally stimulating lectures. For me, there will be no greater affect on my life than Paula Harper. She wasn’t just a professor who lectured. She was a creative soul who captivated you the minute you walked into her class and never wanted to let you go. She had a way about her that didn’t just dictate why we should like art or why a movement is a certain way. She was one of the few people out there whose passion expressed how she loved art allowing for her explanations to be weaved with the stories of the artists and cultural time periods thus gave way to her creation for a contextual world that surrounded all her students and immersed them into the creativity of self expression. She recently passed away and will forever be missed.

How did your education at the University of Miami further your interest in art? How did communications play into it?

The University of Miami allowed for my educational knowledge to grow as I obtained a major in art history. My second major in communications and film allowed me to gain experience and knowledge in the field of public relations which contributed to my current job. My ultimate experience was my study abroad in Rome through Rutgers University. Their onsite field studies and conservation theory allowed for my horizons to be widened and enhanced my cultural exposure to Renaissance architecture and art.

What is your favorite art period?

However I take a partial liking to Realism and Impressionism. I find photorealism to be a contemporary expansion of traditional realism which renders true reality. In addition, impressionism is such a powerful art movement because it is a unique perspective and visual art form that captures the way light hits objects. Impressionism is so

Photography: Courtesy of Amy Poliakoff

powerful because it is the perception of reality through the diffusion of light. This rendered art form is truly seen in the masters of Monet and Van Gogh.

How does it influence your life today?

Realism influences my life today because I work for a Gallery whose programming is dedicated to photorealism. Photorealism is painting, however uses the camera as a photographic tool to render reality. I find realism to be a precursor for photorealism which Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery represents. How we see reality influences our perception of life and affects our decisions. Realism and impressionism are two forms of painting that interpret reality. Real life and the impressions we see are perhaps the most powerful because they inspire us to think. Realism and impressionism affect me because the inspire creativity and make me think about my life decisions and how I interpret life.

Who was the first major artist that you had a chance to curate during your internships?

I haven’t curated a show yet, but I have had the opportunity to meet some great artists. For me, meeting Mattia Bonetti and David La Chappelle were the highlights of my internship at Paul Kasmin Gallery.

How did the show "Gallery Girls" come to be?

The creation of Gallery Girls was a long process and as I understand the show took many years to come into its final product. I was fortunate enough to have been presented with the opportunity of joining the cast and it was not only a great and valuable learning experience but a window into meeting many new figures in the art world.

What did you learn from every gallery that you've been to so far? Any one stands out as a favorite?

I have learned that every gallery is its own individual team unit. Every gallery has it’s own programming and every gallery has something to offer. Through all my experiences I value my time at every gallery I have worked at because each internship helped me grow my knowledge and exposure to the arts. My favorite gallery has been Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery. Frank Bernarducci has an uncanny ability to connect with his collectors and artists. His passion for art is highly visible and learning from him has been a valuable experience.

Art inspires us on a daily basis, how does it inspire you in your professional ventures?

Art is the tangible form of the aesthetic and it is an emotional expression rendered. Life is an emotional journey and when we find beauty in someone else’s personal expression that allows us to connect I find that inspiring. New artists and works are always appearing on the market through exhibition openings at Galleries and art fairs. It is the constant influx of new art that affects the market. Contemporary Galleries pay high attention to this as they are apart of the primary art market and thus are always keeping an eye out for new artists.

Fashion is another form of art - any favorite designers that we don't know about yet?

Yes, to me Fashion is a form of art. Our styles are reflective of our tastes. Alexander Vauthier’s styles are very technically forward. I think Joseph Altruzarra’s collection is extremely technically innovative in terms of style and creative vision.

Where do you see yourself in the future, professionally? Any plans to open up your own gallery?

I have been very fortunate to combine my love of art and entertainment with the show Gallery Girls. I currently love doing public relations for Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery. In the future, I plan to continue to advise on the art market to new collectors as well as work in the field of Gallery work.

How would you describe your relationship with the rest of the girls on the show?

All relationships have ups and downs. Many of the cast members and I met and our relationships developed throughout filming and this can be seen on the show.

What can we expect from the second season of the show?

We are not sure about what is happening in terms of a second season but naturally it would entail more exposure to the art world along with a dose of Bravo drama.

What does your family think about you being on a reality show that interacts so closely with your job?

My family thinks the show is a great platform to expose an

industry that is very much closed to the masses. Gallery Girls is about exposing an industry of glamour and creativity to the masses as well as some much heated Bravo drama!

What are your influences outside of the art world? A strong commitment to family is something that influences me outside of the art world. Having a family is a great support system for any adventure in life.

How does fashion affect the art world in general?

Fashion and art are both creative industries. New York breeds creativity and I think it is this pervasive mentality that permeates and connects both industries.

What are some of the organizations that you're involved with?

I currently am involved with the New York Junior League, The New York Athletic Club’s Mercury Society, and the Whitney Young Contemporaries organization.

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“Art is the tangible form of the aesthetic and it is an emotional

expression rendered.”

Jonathan Campbell Emily Schoen

Campbell is originally from Dallas, Texas and received his B.F.A. from The Juilliard School in 2010. A 2006 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, he has performed the works of Aszure Barton, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Taylor, Larry Keigwin, and Johannes Wieland. Since graduation, Jonathan has danced for the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, GALLIM Dance, The DASH Ensemble and is thrilled to be in his third year with Sidra Bell Dance New York. Jonathan is also the co-founder of MADboots dance co.

Emily Schoen is a native of southeastern Wisconsin. She holds a BFA in Dance and a BS in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Arizona where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with honors. After graduation, Emily joined Nejla Yatkin/NY2 Dance. With Nejla, she toured internationally to Germany, Honduras, Mexico and Russia, and regionally to the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. She has also danced with the Steps Repertory Ensemble, Nicholas Andre Dance, Lauren Hale Dance, and the Metropolitan Opera in Mark Morris' production of "Orfeo ed Eurydice" and Doug Varone's productions of Les Troyens. She currently dances with KEIGWIN + COMPANY and presents her own work around the city.

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Photography: Matt Murphy

Paul Taylor Twyla Tharp

Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Twyla Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred thirty-five dances, five Hollywood movies, directed and choreographed four Broadway shows. She received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, nineteen honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize, and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Paul Taylor is widely considered to be one of the foremost American choreographers of the 20th century. Taylor is among the last living members of the second generation of America’s modern dance artists. He has continued to win acclaim for his recent creations as well as stagings of his earlier works. As prolific as ever, he may propel his dancers through space for the sheer beauty of it, or use them to wordlessly illuminate war, spirituality, sexuality, morality and mortality. The choreographer’s works, now totaling 136, are performed by the world-renowned, 16-member Paul Taylor Dance Company, the chamber-sized Taylor 2, and ballet companies throughout the world.

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Photography: Courtesy of Paul Taylor Dance

The Reinvented NutcrackerBoston Ballet launches a new production

Article & Photography By: Todd Lee

This year, Boston Ballet launched a new, re-imagined production of The Nutcracker. I was fortunate to photograph the costume shop detailing and assembling costumes, the first dress rehearsal by the company of the revamped Nutcracker, and hear from Boston Ballet Creative Director Mikko Nissinen, costume/set designer Robert Perdziola, and Costume Shop Manager Charles Heightchew.

When he decided to re-imagine the Boston Ballet holiday classic, a major part of Nissinen’s vision included significant changes in the look of the ballet, especially in the costumes and the set. To do this, he hired Robert Perdziola, an accomplished set and costume designer for organizations from Juilliard to the Metropolitan Opera to the Miami City Ballet. The dynamic of creating costumes that serve both an

overall design and look; and complement the dancing of Nissinen’s new choreography involved a lot of healthy back and forth communication between the two men. As Nissinen explained, sometimes Perdziola would offer an idea for costuming to Nissinen to see if it would fit his vision and choreography, and sometimes Mr. Nissinen would initiate the idea. Perdziola said that fortunately “the mechanics” of the costumes (i.e. how can you do pirouettes while wearing a giant bear costume?) had been worked out in the previous version of the ballet – the redesign was mainly in the look and the surfaces of the clothing. Mr. Perdziola also discussed how the costumes were from a period about 50 years before the time of the old Boston Nutcracker, and that they were historically pretty accurate (especially in Act I). However, in a story so full of imagination and flights of fancy – historical accuracy was often not the main thing.

Making these ideas and designs into actual costumes has been the charge of Charles Heightchew. The production of the costumes for the revamped ballet has been much more craft than the way we think of clothing production these days. Much of the detailing and all of the assembly of pieces of the costumes has been done by hand, and each piece is fitted for the varying dancers who will play that role.

About 20 of the costume shop workers have been working exclusively on The Nutcracker for the last several months, and the ballet has also used dozens of small shops across the country to do detailing work, and used suppliers from all over the world. An example of the high level of detail that goes into the new costumes is that Heightchew estimates the Dewdrop skirt and bodice alone has about 4,000 jewels in it. At the time I toured the shop, stitchers and embroiderers were still busily putting final touches on costumes for the rehearsal.

Even though the dress rehearsal was the first one, the rigor, dedication, artistry and sense of joy in performance that make the Boston Ballet a world class company – and the Nutcracker such a hit – was very evident. These dancers brought those designs and vision to glorious, beautiful life! My hope is that these images capture the tremendous work and brilliance of the various artists that make the new Nutcracker possible.

All sketches are by Robert Perdziola , courtesy of Boston Ballet. All original photographic images are by Todd Lee Photography. The new version of The Nutcracker is playing at the Opera House in downtown Boston from now through December 30.

Dancers in imagery: Principal dancers include Jeffrey Cirio, Lia Cirio, Misa Kuranaga, Lasha Kohzashvili. Soloists include Whitney Jensen, John Lam, Dalay Parrondo, Sabi Varga, and Second Soloist Altan Dugaraa. Company dancers include Adiarys Almeida, Diana Albrecht, Artjom Maksakov, Irlan Silva, Brittany Summers, and Sarah Wroth, as well as Boston Ballet School dancer Chelsea Perry.

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Jake Heggie Mark Anthony Turnage

Heggie is the composer of the operas Dead Man Walking(2000), The End of the Affair (2004), At The Statue of Venus (2005), To Hell and Back (2006), and Moby-Dick (2010), as well as the stage work For a Look or a Touch. He has composed more than 200 art songs as well as chamber and concert works. His operas and songs are championed internationally.

Mark-Anthony Turnage a prolific English composer of classical music. Strongly influenced by jazz, in particular by the work of Miles Davis,Turnage has composed numerous orchestral and chamber works, and two widely performed operas. His latest effort is the Anna Nicole opera set to an English libretto by Richard Thomas. It premiered on 17 February 2011 at the Royal Opera House, London, directed by Richard Jones.The story is based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith.

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Photography: Karen Almond / Dallas Opera Photography: Bill Cooper / Royal Opera

Rufus Wainwright Eric Whitacre

Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter and composer. He has recorded seven albums of original music and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written a classical opera Prima Donna which is set to a French language libretto which he co-authored with Bernadette Colomine. It is about "a day in the life of an aging opera singer", anxiously preparing for her comeback in 1970s Paris, who falls in love with a journalist.

Eric Whitacre is an American Grammy Award winning composer and conductor. He is one of the most popular and performed composers of his generation. In 2008, the all-Whitacre choral CD Cloudburst became an international best seller, topping the classical charts and earning a Grammy nomination. In addition to Whitacre's litany of choral and wind ensemble compositions, he is also known for his "Virtual Choir" projects, bringing individual voices from around the globe together into an online choir. Whitacre signed a long-term recording deal with Decca in 2010.

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Photography: Clive Barda Arena Pal

Walking in for my first voice lesson, shaking uncontrollably, I was petrified, I don’t think she noticed. I was preparing to meet and work with, who was for me, a timeless, iconic beauty of opera celebrity. Not knowing what to expect, by this point I had conjured up all sorts of preconceived notions as to who or what I thought she was. Would she scowl at meeting me, size me up in a way that only classical/opera aficionados can? You know, as my sister calls it, the dreaded- up-down?

Well, those preconceived notions couldn’t have been more incorrect, on a multitude of levels. Not only was I wrong but she was more than I had hoped for. Speaking in what I call ‘high’ English, she was as stellar and as refined as any Diva (I say so affectionately with her permission) but as accessible and open as a concerned family member who has your best interest at heart. From the moment I set eyes on the incomparable mezzo soprano/soprano, Grace Melzia Bumbry -the woman- I saw my mother, my grandmothers and other women of note who have helped to shape me. A deep sense of familiarity calmed me. And strangely enough, my fear began to dissipate almost immediately. Besides, I was still in the presence of an icon. Though I was not afraid, I was still in a surreal state. I couldn’t believe I would be working with the Black Venus of opera, a woman whose signature portrayals of Amneris, Eboli and, the femme fatale of all opera, Carmen would forever serve as the standard for those to follow. I was with Grace Melzia Bumbry, one of only a few singers to successfully transition to high soprano repertoire conquering roles like Turandot, Tosca and Salome, to great acclaim.

The Bumbry EffectA Reflection on studying with icon Grace bumbry

By: Erica Papillon-Posey

I strolled toward her. She was completing a lesson with another student. Remember the feeling—surreal. My legs were moving but I didn’t feel them and I dare not look down to see it they were there. I had the sensation of being in a Spike Lee or Quentin Tarantino movie, moving seamlessly through time. A time-warp was more like it. Ms. B. (as I would come to affectionately call her, a new member in an exclusive club) turned and smiled and I gladly followed suit. There—the ice was broken and a new relationship began.

During BVOA, I worked privately with Ms. B. for the next three weeks. The best and worst three weeks of my vocal life. I learned that I have so much more to learn. I have never had so much explained to me regarding vowels, line (legato) and breathing. There were days when feelin’ mighty fine was more like feelin’ mighty unsure with a side of tears. We participated in daily master classes where I watched her move, seamlessly, in and out of English, Italian, German, and French to accommodate not only the native tongue of each student but to help each interpret the precise intent and meaning of the composers libretto. Invaluable information and I am the recipient of it! Since my first three weeks, in Berlin, with Ms. B. I have made a subsequent trip to Austria for additional study and in preparation of my professional debut as Carmen, January 2013. I am most honored to be the beneficiary of a teaching and performance legacy that is without question—extraordinary. Debuting Carmen, successfully, at her direction is without question—priceless.

I left Ms. B. at the conclusion of my last trip more secure in my voice, technique and artistry. I left with an even greater fondness for and perspective of Grace Melzia Bumbry— the woman, the artist, the teacher and timeless, iconic beauty.

I In addition to her private teaching studio and BVOA, Ms. Bumbry, a 2009 Kennedy Center Award Recipient, is still an active performer making her pop debut, March 2012 at the Theatre du Châtelet in Paris. And, in a strange twist, she will debut the Countess in Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) at the Wiener Staatsoper, Saturday, January 19, 2013, the same day as my Carmen premiere. No doubt we’ll be rooting one for the other.

Now of course there’s a back-story here. I had just arrived in Berlin for BVOA, the Bumbry Vocal and Opera Academy, from Siena, Italy and I was feelin’ mighty fine (in my best southern-bell dialect) about myself. The voice was in good shape (I thought) but with some obvious kinks to iron out. In addition to another opera role and because of poor management by opera festival organizers, I learned and performed the role of Marcellina from Le nozze di Figaro in 3weeks-flat! Yes, quite proud of myself, I was! And, as fate would have it, prior to those European performances, I auditioned with Miami Lyric Opera for the title role in Carmen and, you guessed it, I received THE call while in Siena. Ooooooh fate…. What are the chances I’d be notified with the news that I would make my professional debut as Carmen while en route to the artist who, for many, define the role? In that moment, there couldn’t have been a luckier girl in the world! UPTEMPOMAGAZINE.COM! 29

“I left with an even greater fondness for and perspective of Grace Melzia Bumbry— the

woman, the artist, the teacher and timeless,

iconic beauty.”

Mario Testino’s compelling fashion and celebrity photographs have appeared in international magazines and advertising campaigns for leading fashion houses for the past three decades. The man behind the camera that has captured countless iconic images for Vogue and Vanity Fair is featured in two exhibitions of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston —Mario Testino: In Your Face and British Royal Portraits. It showcases 122 images by the photographer, known for works that evoke elegance, beauty, style, irreverence, and contradiction. The range and quality of Testino’s career is illustrated in photographs of international superstars, such as models Kate Moss, Stephanie Seymour, and Gisele Bündchen; actors Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow; musicians Mick Jagger, Madonna, and Lady Gaga; and athletes David Beckham and Tom Brady. Mario Testino: British Royal Portraits focuses on the portraits he has taken of generations of the British royal family.

Photography & Information courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Stella Tennant, New York, 2006, Mario Testino

Kate Moss, London, 2006, Mario Testino TRH The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, London 2010, Mario Testino

Jennifer Lopez, New York, 2012, Mario Testino Gisele Bündchen, New York, 2007, Mario Testino

Carmen Kass, Los Angeles, 2009, Mario Testino

ZANDRARHODES

A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH TEXTILES

Since her first solo collection in 1969, internationally renowned British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes has been creating brilliant and imaginative fabrics and clothing. This retrospective, her first solo exhibition on the East Coast, presents a selection of her textiles and more than 40 high-fashion garments.

A Lifelong Love Affair with Textiles chronicles designs from the 1960s through the 1980s and reveals the designer's process; her approach to shape, color, technique, and her worldwide influences. A veritable Who's Who have donned her fashions, including Diana, Princess of Wales; Debbie Harry; Freddy Mercury; Jacqueline Onassis; Joan Rivers; and Elizabeth Taylor. Rhodes' work is included in many museum collections, among them the Victoria & Albert, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institute.

ORANGE TIMES

Photographer: Fernando GómezMakeup, Hair & Styling: Quino Amador Photography Assistant: Rosa Matilla

Model: Raquel Arias

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MARIE ANTOINETTE

Photography: Emma LaurenHair: Joey Oso

Makeup: Gayle CarbajalStyling: Angelina ScantleburyModel: Dani (Fenton Moon) 

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AUTUMN WINDS

Photography: Jennifer Avello Model: Jasmine Jade

Makeup: Vanessa Valliant Hair: Erin Schneider Styling: Ella G. Ber

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FEATHERSPhotography: Julia BlankModel: Lilli I (placemodels)

Makeup & Hair: Kerstin J. HajduStyling: Susi Bauer

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KNIT KNIGHTS

Photography: Robert G. BartholotStyling: Harald Erath

Makeup & Hair: Harm Neitzel Models: Eva Vuillemin-Erdt & Daniel Donskoy (Izaio Models)

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