Behind the Curtain of Pittsburgh Opera's "It's About Time" Fashion Show

By: Vernon “VJ” Cox III

Photography by David Bachman

When I first planned to cover the Pittsburgh Opera Fashion Show, I expected to write about the event itself—the fashion, the performances, and the experience of attending one of Pittsburgh's most unique cultural evenings. But after speaking with the people responsible for bringing the show to life, I realized the real story was happening behind the scenes.

My first conversation was with Jacob Currence, Pittsburgh Opera's Costume Director. Remarkably, this is Currence's first season with the company and his first year living in Pittsburgh. Despite being new to both, his enthusiasm for the work was impossible to miss. He described his role as a bridge between designers, performers, and the costume shop, helping transform creative visions into reality.

For this year's It's About Time theme, which explored fashion from the 1890s through the 1990s while incorporating elements from Pittsburgh Opera's upcoming production of Falstaff, Currence helped blend historical and modern aesthetics. He spoke passionately about how fashion has always been a form of storytelling, allowing people to shape how the world sees them. That same philosophy applies to costumes on stage, where every piece helps tell a character's story.

One of the highlights of the experience for Currence was collaborating with legendary designer Richard Parsakian and General Director Christopher Hahn, both of whom are taking their final bows in their current Pittsburgh Opera roles. As someone new to the city, he valued not only their expertise but also their generosity, guidance, and obvious passion for their work.

My second interview was with Christopher Hahn, who has served as Pittsburgh Opera's General Director since 2008. Hahn reflected on how the fashion show began as an effort to attract new audiences to opera by combining the theatricality of fashion with the drama and music of opera. What started as an experiment has grown into one of the city's most anticipated cultural events.

For Hahn, bringing Richard Parsakian back for this year's show was especially meaningful. He described Parsakian as both a designer and a curator, someone with a remarkable understanding of fashion history and theatrical presentation. Together, they helped create a show that celebrates both artistry and legacy.

What makes Hahn proudest is seeing how the event has become woven into Pittsburgh's cultural fabric. Early audiences weren't always sure what to make of an opera fashion show. Today, the event sells out and has become a bridge between Pittsburgh's opera and fashion communities.

A few days after these conversations, I attended the show itself. It was every bit as spectacular as I had hoped. But thanks to the people I spoke with, I experienced it differently. Every costume, performance, and creative choice carried a deeper meaning because I understood the work, collaboration, and passion behind it.

The fashion was beautiful. The performances were unforgettable. But the true story of It's About Time was the people who made it happen—and the legacy they leave behind.