The Berlin – City of Design group gathered at the Deutsche Oper to have a closer of look at some amusing details behind the scenes on 12 February 2020. Mrs. Horn, the costume director, took the group to visit various departments and explained its functions. More than 100,000 costumes for many opera productions are kept in the storerooms. The group marveled at the incredible detailed work of the custom-fitted costumes.

The group was then brought to see another large room where more than 20,000 pairs of shoes are stored. They are arranged in categories of opera production and numbered. In the ballet shoes section, the group was impressed to learn that the dancers choose the shoes based on their favorite shoe manufacturers. Some manufacturers are even specialized for custom-made ballet shoes. The morning was ended by a visit to the „armory room” and a get-together in the opera’s own cafeteria.

A special thank-you to the Executive Director of the Förderkreis Deutsche Oper, Frau Silke Alsweiler-Lösch, who made this fascinating visit possible and thus motivated many of the WiB group members to comme and see a performance in the Deutsche Oper soon.