Costumes are particularly important in a opera. They actually accompany both the tale and music but also enable the audience to identify the numerous characters, all the more so because a singer can play several roles in the same opera.
Depending on the staging, costumes may be period, colorful, exuberant or simple and contemporary. There are no rules, it all depends on what the stage director decides and who are the chosen singers and dancers for the piece.
The costume can also be associated with a mask, especially when the story is based on an old tale because in antic theater, all comedians were men. When they had to play a feminine role, they wore a mask for a better effect. This tradition hasn’t been lost and nowadays, some female characters are still played by men and vice versa.
