The opera and theater world is steeped in tradition and superstition. Many singers and actors have talismans of some sort or have pre-performance rituals. Personally I don’t tend to speak to people on opening day/night and I have lunch alone at the same restaurant. Other rituals include stepping on stage with your right or left foot first, touching the curtain, and being the first or last person to exit the dressing room. While individual superstitions greatly vary, there are some that are universal. The origins of many of these superstitions have been lost over time. Here are a few:

In opera, you hear “Toi toi toi!”. This trio of words actually imitates spitting on someone. The word is an exclamatory statement that prevents a hex from being put on the performance. Some even knock on a wooden object while saying it to ward off any mishaps.

There is the always popular “break a leg.” You make this statement instead of wishing a theater actor good luck. The origins of this statement are a bit cloudy. Some have said it stems from John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Abraham Lincoln. When Booth jumped from the balcony onto the stage, it is said that he broke his leg. My favorite origin story of this term has to do with French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who had to have her leg amputated due to a knee injury she suffered during a performance of Sardou’s La Tosca. The rationale being that Bernhardt had an amazing career, and if wished a broken leg, it will bring success!

There is also a belief that opera singers should never see the conductor the day of the performance. He/she is given a separate dressing room. Another is that opera singers should never talk to the director the day of performance. This stems from their wanting to possibly make last minute changes or offering unwanted advice.

Other superstitions include: Don’t wear purple to an Italian opera, no whistling backstage, bad final rehearsals mean a great opening night, no real mirrors or flowers onstage, and never saying the word Tosca.

So, there you have it, a brief glimpse into the scary world of opera and theater superstitions…I have to stop typing and go and find my rabbit’s foot. 

Welcome to the Third Eye Theatre Ensemble blog. The blog where you can find out about everything Third Eye and more…I am Christopher Skyles, co-founder of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, and I am your informative host.

Our inaugural blog is about the first ever Opera Advocacy Day, which takes place Wednesday, May 6, 2015 in Washington D.C. This is our chance as citizens and artists of the world to advocate on behalf of the arts as members of the 114th Congress take office. A wide range of issues including support for the National Endowment for the Arts, preservation of charitable giving incentives and accelerated visa processing for foreign guest artists will be discussed.

Opera Advocacy Day is a project started by Opera America. This organization will represent the arts community before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Opera America works with the performing arts field to advocate for the development of national policies that recognize and strengthen the contributions that the arts make in America.

Opera America is also a founding member of the Performing Arts Alliance, which advocates for the development of national policies that recognize and strengthen the contributions the arts make to America.

Third Eye Theatre Ensemble wishes our representatives on Opera Advocacy Day the best as diplomats of our community. We will be watching how things progress this day and keep you abreast of the latest.

As part of our mission, Third Eye Theatre Ensemble encourages you to go to these sites to gain a better understanding of what these organizations contribute to those of us in the arts industry. Supporting these organizations help independent opera theatre companies like ours stay afloat and pertinent to today’s ever expanding world.