SINGERS at the Metropolitan Opera are holding their noses at costumes that arrived from China for the new production of "The First Emperor." The artists claim the costumes smell so bad, they might be toxic. The opera buff who blogs under the moniker La Cieca reports that when the boxes were unpacked, wardrobe staffers complained of a strong chemical odor. One went to the hospital with "serious respiratory problems," the blogger says. "Other staffers report rashes, eye irritation and such."
"The elephant in the middle of the room (metaphorically speaking, of course) is how Placido Domingo and the other 'First Emperor' artists are going to react when they are asked to don these . . . garments - and then sing for three hours."
Stinky outfits at the Met
