Invisible heroes of opera: Men in Black

SAMSUN

The technical crew known as the “men in black” at Samsun State Opera and Ballet (SAMDOB) are putting in intensive effort to bring the musical “Singin’ in the Rain” to life on stage.

The production, which premiered in Türkiye on June 21 last year as part of the Samsun Culture Road Festival, has received great acclaim from art lovers and played to sold-out houses throughout the year.

In the eye-catching show, the technical team has installed a special system to create real rainfall on stage. A total of 160 people, including the orchestra, performers and technical staff, are involved in the production.

The Hollywood romantic comedy “Singin’ in the Rain” tells the story of silent film star Don Lockwood’s conflict-ridden professional relationship with Lina Lamont and his romance with aspiring actress Kathy Selden during the transition from silent films to talkies.

With music by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the production is directed and translated by Aclan Büyüktürkoğlu. Musical arrangement and orchestra conducting are by Kıvanç Tepe, while the choir is led by Maria Chekriekchieva.

Didem Tepe serves as concertmaster. The choreography is by Yunus Emre Örgüt, costumes are designed by Gülnur Çağlayan Tuluk, set design is by Tayfun Çebi, lighting design by Oğuz Murat Yılmaz and video projection by Murat Turgut.

Anadolu Agency captured the intense backstage work during rehearsals of the musical, which will be staged again on Feb. 28 and March 2 at the Atatürk Cultural Center Aydın Gün Stage.

‘We are proud to be the first in Türkiye’

SAMDOB Artistic Technical Director Talip Ata said the musical holds a special place in their hearts.

Explaining that they developed multiple plans to create the rain effect on stage, Ata said the process involved many risks and potential dangers.

“At times, we even considered whether we should imitate rain through projection. But since the title is ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’ we felt we had to present it to art lovers with real excitement and authenticity,” he said.

Ata underlined that water is usually undesirable on stage due to risks such as electrical leakage, performers slipping and damage to lighting equipment, which could result in serious public loss. He noted that they carried out extensive work to prevent such hazards.

Working closely with set designer Tayfun Çebi and SAMDOB Technical Director Süleyman Taşcıoğlu, the team took special precautions for water drainage and performers’ safety.

“I truly couldn’t sleep at night thinking, ‘What if something goes wrong?’ It was a huge responsibility for us, but we succeeded. Our technical team showed great dedication. We are proud to be the first to accomplish this in Türkiye,” Ata said.

Ata explained that the team is known as the “men in black” because they must wear black clothing to remain unseen during rapid scene changes.

“If the director gives us two minutes, the entire set must change within those two minutes without the audience noticing. Preparing this production takes about two to two and a half days. Normally, we can set up an opera in one day, but this is very different. The soffit panels we use and the pool system we created on the stage floor involve heavy and risky equipment. It requires great care and precision, and both installation and dismantling take longer,” he said.

“Our friends put in tremendous physical and mental effort. But the fact that our performances are sold out makes us extremely proud and honored. Thanks to our audience, we forget all our exhaustion,” he added.

Ata also noted that, with the approval of the General Directorate, they plan to stage the musical in other cities, announcing that performances are scheduled for September at the Ankara State Opera and Ballet.

First production to use real water for rain effect

Technical Director Süleyman Taşcıoğlu shared details about the rain system used in the production.

“We have two tanks. Water is pumped from one tank upward to create the rain effect. Thanks to the insulation we installed on the stage floor, we collect the water without wetting the wooden surface and transfer it to the other tank,” he said.

“I was confident because the system was clear in my mind. We took all necessary precautions and made it operational. Among our six operas, this is the first production in which real water is used on stage as a rain effect. I hope we can present it across Türkiye. It has become a truly beautiful production,” he added.