Kristen J. Connolly
Kristen Connolly takes fun very seriously. She is an outside the box thinker and cinephile who loves to craft one-of-a-kind costumes. She believes that good art can change perspectives. Undaunted by small budgets or big ideas, she strives to create costumes that are memorable and make an impact.
Since receiving a BFA in fashion design from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2008, Kristen has been a passionate and creative artist, starting out making costumes for student films, local theaters, and even boudoir shoots and burlesque dancers before having the opportunity to create for local opera companies, where she really found her creative voice.
.Her resourcefulness comes from her parents. Her father is a fine woodworker and school engineering teacher and her mother, and grandmother, were both specialty cake makers, who taught her the importance of being creative, meticulous and detail-oriented. With her unique set of skills, Kristen Connolly sets out to create costumes that are truly authentic and unforgettable.
Working in the opera world opened up a new realm of possibilities, the chance to work with diverse creative teams and to push the boundaries of her creativity - taking on puppets, electrical elements and unusual materials with enthusiasm. With each project, she looks forward to learning something new and continuing to develop her skills.
Past Collaborations:
Lowell House Opera, Harvard University, Cambridge MA
Costume Designer for the seasonal spring opera. Productions: Snegurochka 2012, MidSummer's Night Dream 2013, Lakme 2014, Queen of Spades 2015, La Grotta di Trofonio 2016, Ariadne Auf Naxos 2017, Le Compte Ory 2018
Boston Opera Collaborative
Boston, MA
Costume Designer for the 2015 & 2016 seasons.
Productions: Rinaldo, Our Town, Faust et Marguerite, Naomi in the Living Room, Four Sisters, To Hell & Back, Idomeneo
Opera Hub
Boston, MA
Costume Designer & Misc. Fabricator for locally travelling production of "El Gato Con Botas" 2016-2018
Puppet Showplace Theater
Brookline, Ma
Costume Designer for special production collaborations including The Midnight Zoo at Franklin Park Zoo 2016, and "El Gato con Botas" with Opera Hub 2016
Opera Brittenica
Brighton, MA
Costume Designer & Misc Fabricator
Productions: The Burning Fiery Furnace 2015, Immersive Turn of the Screw
NEMPAC
Boston, MA
Costume Designer for inaugural opera production, performed outdoors on the Boston waterfront. 2012