Atlanta Opera Costume Shop Produces Masks for Hospitals

The Atlanta Opera’s costume shop is producing medical supplies for area hospitals in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Atlanta Opera’s fully equipped costume and wardrobe department have adapted to now craft 76,000 masks for use by local hospitals.

“This is a time of great need for the medical community and the community at large,” Tomer Zvulun, the Atlanta Opera’s Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General and Artistic Director, said in a statement. “The question that we ask ourselves is no longer ‘How can we save our productions?’ but ‘How can we help save lives?’”

Each mask is designed to cover an N95 respirator mask, prolonging its usable life. Local hospitals are providing operating room sheet to use as fabric.

In response to the pandemic, the Atlanta Opera canceled its final two performances of Porgy and Bess, paying cast, chorus, crew, and orchestra for the entire run.