A lot of work goes into making a wig.
“It’s all based upon having accurate measurements of an artist’s head,” says Lyric Opera of Chicago wig and makeup master Stan Dufford.
The first time a singer comes to Lyric, measurements are taken, and a cap is made of Saran Wrap and cellophane tape, “to give an idea of the shape and hairline,” Dufford says. Several kinds of nets are used to build a foundation for the wig and to create a realistic-looking hairline. “The nets are all synthetic now; that way, we can shampoo them without fear of them disintegrating or resizing.”
The hairs are tied into the foundation “with a knot similar to a crochet knot, or a clove hitch,” Dufford says, “with a tiny, tiny needle like a crochet needle.” They’re put in one at a time at the hairline, for a natural appearance, and four at the rear, for bulk.
Most of the hair used is human; Dufford purchases it in the colors needed and blends them to suit.
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“We use a minimum of three colors in each wig; we usually use five, because it looks more natural that way. To give you a for instance, Carmen’s wigs–she started off with three but eliminated one of them–are a mixture of jet black, off-black, dark brown and dark red.”
Coarser than human hair, hard to work with but easy to dye, yak hair is used for facial hair, white wigs and bright colors.
“Every wig takes about five days for knotting, along with cutting, styling and several fittings. The most important thing is the lace cap (in front), and making sure it lies close to the forehead. Any way you look at it, this is a labor-intensive process.”