Meet the Maker

Marian de Graef – Senior Wig Technician, Running Wigs

Join us in a journey of discovery, where we go behind the scenes into the world of running wigs

‘The ADRENALINE at the half hour call is great.’

Marian de Graef, Senior Wig Technician – running wigs

Marian de Graef has worked at Glyndebourne for 18 years. She began her career as a hairdresser in the 1960s, before bringing her expertise to the theatre world which led her here to Glyndebourne.

In her role, Marian works in the Running Wigs department, working closely with costume and makeup departments to dress performers, ready to go on stage.

Photo by Alun Callender

Tosca, Festival 2026. Photo by Richard Hubert Smith

Once the wigs are made by the production team, they come over to us…

All of our wigs are handmade by the Production Department, then they come to us in the Running Wigs department. We cut them and style them to the requirements of the designer. I love working with the designer and creating styles on the wigs.

Then, once the wigs have been fitted to the performer, we dress them before they go on stage, and if there are any changes during the opera, we do that too, which is the really fun bit!

I love working on period productions

In Autumn Season 2026, I’m working on The Countess for The Marriage of Figaro. I love historical stuff, I must admit – I’m old fashioned that way.

While we work on a lot of modern productions now, I’ve always liked the period ones, they are lovely to work on.

Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Festival 2026. Photo by ASH

Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2026. Photo by Richard Hubert Smith

My favourite production I’ve worked on is Giulio Cesare.

I love working on Cleopatra in David McVicar’s production of Giulio Cesare as she has six different looks – which include four very quick changes!

It’s exciting, and we have to choreograph together with the makeup and wardrobe departments.

The shortest quick change I’ve had to do was just 50 seconds!

In Sir Peter Hall’s La Cenerentola, Cinderella changes from ‘rags to riches’ and we had 50 seconds in the wings to make this transition.

In the Festival 2012 revival, five of us were working on a quick change in a choreographed yet slightly chaotic manner!

We haven’t started orchestrating the new version of La Cenerentola for Festival 2027 yet, so I’m not sure if there will be an equally quick change in this one! You’ll have to come and find out…