Magic fingers’ 47-year adventure

Set and costume designer Osman Şengezer has been working with male and female bodies for 47 years. He has turned 100-kilogram soprano bodies into very slim ones, and 1.5-meter-tall tenors into the tallest on stage, with his skillful hands. Thousands of characters on theater and opera stages meet audiences looking their best, thanks to him.

Şengezer, who began his professional life in the Ankara State Opera and Ballet and who holds a number of national and international awards in the fields of decor and costume, thinks he owes his success to his amateur soul and passion for creativity. He was an assistant to legendary German decorator Ulrich Damrau during the first years of his professional life. "Meeting and working with Damrau was the most magnificent experience I could ever have had," he said.

Şengezer’s enormous book, "Dekor ve Kostümlü Anılar" (Decor and Costume Memoirs), featuring his memories of a half-century in the arts and his preliminary sketches and drawings, has been recently published by Artshop Publishing House and is a quality resource for those in the Turkish performing arts.

Interpretation in costume and stage
Şengezer defined decor and costume as pieces that complete each other. He said, "Before starting the creative process, I always read the play and try to perceive its soul. Then I come together with the choreographer of the play and try to deliver the message that she or he wants to give. Finally, I add my own interpretation to it." Noting that a good designer should be involved in all stages of a play, including rehearsals and performance, Şengezer said, "I feel responsible for everything in a play, for example, a player’s dress, which can be torn accidentally, or the wear and tear of stage decor."

Costume should fit very well

Şengezer said while he prepares a costume, he pays attention to even the smallest details of a play, such as an actor opening a door, or greeting the audience. "When a male dancer lifts a ballerina, his shirt should seem perfect. Or when a soprano performs a work, he must be very comfortable in his turtleneck shirt."

Şengezer said his job has required knowing every detail of artists' bodies. "I am responsible for all details like bras, shoes and corsets. The human body is just an object to me. Male or female, it does not matter," he said.