CO-OPERA-TION

KINC HELPS LYRIC OPERA'S BONSAI BLOOM FOR MADAMA BUTTERFLY

THE CHALLENGE

For their 2008 remount of Madama Butterfly, Lyric Opera of Chicago wanted to use original scenery from the earlier production.  In storage for years, the thematic centerpiece of the design - an enormous Bonsai - was particularly bedraggled and dilapidated

It was determined that sagging branches would need to be reinforced without compromising the original design.  Bare areas needed to be filled in, and the entire tree needed to be repainted and refurbished.

KINC COMES TO THE RESCUE
The massive and delicate two-story tall tree was transported in pieces from Lyric Opera's warehouse to the Kinc shop, where it was assembled and assessed. After a careful cleaning, the sagging branches were reinforced with extra supports,  disguised as secondary branches and held in place by connecting sleeves created by Kinc.

Kinc also expanded the distance between the branch spirals and added hundreds of handmade pine needle bunches to thicken the foliage, and worked with Lyric's design team to identify places to add more branch spirals, increasing the tree's overall lushness.

Lastly, bare spots on the trunk were filled in and masked. A new paint job for the entire tree completed its transformation, and, restored to its original magnificence by the Kinc staff, the tree was returned to the Lyric and hoisted into its place of honor on the set for opening night.

THE IMPACT
A critical and audience hit, Lyric's Madama Butterfly was widely lauded as a feast for both the ears and eyes.