# Opera Stagecraft Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 13, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576 "2013-04-13T05:18:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576/1 "2013-04-13T05:18:35Z")

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I was on YouTube just now, watching [Natalie Dessay as Olympia in “Les contes d’Hoffmann”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqZQXkLtP9s)  
and I was amazed by the giant dolls dancing in the background.

Does anyone know how they did that? Seems as though they must be people in giant doll suits, but it seems impossible that a person could be regular height, with that much extra doll suit overhead, and still move the arms and everything.

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576/2 "2013-04-13T05:28:32Z")

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Drywall stilts.

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576/3 "2013-04-13T05:34:19Z")

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[Had to look 'em up.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Handwerkerstelzen.JPG)

That’s hella cool!! Thanks, **Snowboarder Bo!**

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576/4 "2013-04-13T06:18:27Z")

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You’re welcome.

🙂

ETA: [These are my favorite kind](http://www.alstapingtools.com/skywalker20drywallstiltsmarshalltown.aspx), because they have articulating feet. It makes it easier to walk because you aren’t so flat-footed.

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**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-stagecraft-question/655576/5 "2013-04-13T06:30:33Z")

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Yep, drywall stilts are the easy way. But they’re some sort of stilts for sure. Basic stilt walking is surprisingly easy to learn, and the way those dolls are tottering around is a dead giveaway.