This piece is a confluence of concept and inspiration from found materials. In opera houses, the audience is on display in an elaborate setting that rivals the scenery on the stage. Like Mary Cassatt's 1878 painting "In the Loge," my artwork only shows the audience: the real drama is in the seats. In a literary trope-- originally found in "Corinne," Madame de Stael's 1807 novel-- a heroine, represented here by the lady in purple, demonstrates her sensibility when the opera moves her to tears. Other characters watch her reaction to the music, rather than watching the stage.

A packing insert I received immediately suggested tiered theater seating. When the curtain trim samples and metal lamp banding arrived in my studio they also reminded me of theatrical decor. After a visit to the opera house in Vienna, I added the fabrics and curved frame. The tactile materials convey the sensory overload of opera house ornamentation. The search for appropriately sized and dressed people led me to vintage wedding and quinceaneara cupcake toppers, which I repainted. The finishing touch is an LED chandelier that switches on to light the scene.