Costume Rentals

Opera San José Costume Rentals Policy

Opera San José offers a wide variety of costumes for rent to opera companies, professional theaters and universities. We apologize, but we do not rent costumes for Halloween or to individuals for parties or social events. Our costume rental program is to provide support for professional arts organizations.

An advanced appointment is required to rent or return costumes. We prefer to schedule appointments at least 48 hours in advance.

Our rental fees apply to a five-week period. Unused items returned within that five-week period will not be charged a rental fee (referred to as the trial period). Rentals will incur a charge of 15% of the rental fee per week after five weeks.

Our rental agreement is contingent on a security deposit, which is determined by the replacement value of the costumes rented. A credit card is acceptable for rentals where the replacement value is less than $1,000. Should the replacement value exceed $1,000, we require a certificate of insurance naming Opera San José as the certificate holder. Any questions about this policy can be directed to at galano@operasj.org.

Costumes may be altered to fit unless otherwise noted, but must be returned to their original condition before cleaning and return. In no way is fabric to be cut, dyed, painted, or otherwise permanently altered. Tape, glue, or adhesives of any kind are not to be used on costumes. OSJ labels must remain in garment, please remove your labels prior to return.

The rental fee schedule and replacement values are determined by several factors: the quality of the garment and the materials, the labor involved (particularly where distressed items that may appear less valuable are concerned), and the ease of replacement (this applies specifically to rare textiles, items which require an artisan, such as masks or headdresses, and sets or parts of sets).

Rental Fees

Current rental fees, per costume unit, (ex. bodice, skirt, & petticoat, or, coat, vest, shirt, & breeches) are based on a three-level pricing list:

• Older costumes & chorus quality garments:
  $50-75 per five week period.
• Older principal costumes (made before the year 2000):
  $50-75 per five week period.
• Newly-built principal costumes or specialty items:
  $100-150 each
  per five week period.

Current rental prices per piece are determined at time of rental.

We do not rent shoes and boots.

As a renter, you are responsible for cleaning the costumes prior to their return. Dry Cleaning must be performed by a trustworthy and reputable source. You are responsible for the replacement cost of the costume should any damages occur from cleaning.

Productions in Stock

Listed below are productions currently available in our stock. In most cases costumes are for principal characters only.

• Carmen
• Il trovatore
• La Cenerentola
• Lucia di Lammermoor
• Phaedra
• The Crucible
• The Magic Flute
• Un Ballo in Maschera
• Don Giovanni
• La bohéme
• Le nozze di Figaro
• Manon
• The Barber of Seville
• The Flying Dutchman
• Tosca
• Werther

Other items available for rental:

For further information regarding costume rentals please email galano@operasj.org.