This past weekend I performed in a series of concerts with the magnificently redundantly named Green Mountain Monteverdi Ensemble of Vermont. We did some 16th century lute songs as well as the Tallis Lamentations, and it really was a fantastic show. The music was a joy to sing, and apparently to hear as well, judging by the warm reception and glowing reviews. But enough about the music; first we had to get dressed.
Our costume, such as it was, was all black, which is not something you want to be flouncing about in on a hot summer’s day. True, we had some milder weather this past weekend, which helped, but I was still not interested in wearing my outfit from breakfast to concert. No, I brought it along with me to change into later. This was when I realized a very silly and arbitrary rule that I seem to have. I only take my clothes off for other musicians.
I was perfectly happy to strip down in a room full of strangers, or even close acquaintances, because they were also performing. Lute guy from Boston? Sure, you can see my awesome Darth Vader underwear. Soprano section from local chorus? Yup. It’s fine. We are artists and performers, and we belong to the same club. This is a club in which we all take off our clothes in front of each other. And this was not news to me. BUT! When I realized that the room we were changing in had a large window that opened out onto the parking lot where the audience was arriving, well that changed things.
I did not want the audience to see me in a state of mild undress. No matter that they were as much strangers to me as the people in the room, they were not members of the secret club. I had to hide my nakedness from them. Well, partial nakedness anyway. I think we are all relieved to know that I did not go the full monty, since I had just barely started on my diet at that point and was much fatter than I am today, 4 days later. No, I hid in the corner and finished putting my concert blacks on, out of the public eye and in the eye of some random guy. Sorry, random guy.
But this makes sense, I think. Much in the same way that I do not want the audience to hear me rehearse before the show, we need to preserve some of the mystery. They need to see me come out fully formed and ready to entertain them. What happens backstage, stays backstage. And so I will stick to my rule. I only take my clothes off for other musicians. And if the rest of you want to see me in my underwear, please feel free to visit my YouTube channel. It won’t take you long to find what you’re looking for.