Friday, September 15, 2000

Pig Parade/The Puccini Pig

---

Pig an opera sight to see

By Owen Findsen
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        This is 139th in a series spotlighting pigs from the Big Pig Gig Public Art Project taking place in Cincinnati, Covington and Newport. Find past pig profiles at cincinnati.com.

       

        “Don't look at the pigs,” a friend advised Calista Bockenstette, “because your pig is so different that you might wind up changing it to make it look like the others.

        “So I didn't look at any pigs until I finished mine,” Ms. Bockenstette says. She lives in Glendale and sometimes works as a scenery painter for Cincinnati Opera.

        Sponsor: The Opera Guild.

| ZOOM |

        This pig's pen: Westin Hotel lobby, upper level.

        What's the pig idea? The pig is a gilded, baroque stage, a metaphor for opera. Inside the pig is the stage set for Puccini's great opera, Madame Butterfly.

        You want people to look at this pig and think: There is something about opera that everybody can love: the music, the costumes, the stories, the sets.

        Completing the project took: More than 400 hours.

        What's the matter? My husband, Ken, is a contractor and figured out how to build the stage. My friend Randy Parks has a company called Plastigraphics, and he found a way to make the plexiglass window that conformed the shape of the pig's body. My step-daughter Cathy Atwell helped with the sanding.

        Your high on the hog was: The night before it left our house, some neighbors called and asked if they could come over and see it. Seventy people showed up and brought wine and food. We had a wonderful party.

        Pig peeve: My pig has a wonderful location in the Westin Hotel, but it was supposed to be outside of Saks Fifth Avenue. The day before they were going to install, another pig was damaged. They decided it shouldn't be outside. I hope people find my pig.

        Best pig tale: I wrote to opera stars to asked them for autographs for my pig. That probably sounds demeaning . . . “Will you put your name on my pig?' . . . but a lot of them did send autographs, and I decoupaged them on the back of the pig. I have autographs of Carol Vaness, Susan B. Anthony, Leah Anne Myers. Mary Costa wrote “have a hoggingly wonderful time,” and Renata Scotto sent a note from her home in Italy. That was particularly touching because she ruined her voice at a young age by singing Madame Butterfly too often.

        My favorite pork dish: Pork Chops Normandy from Nick's Chops and Chasers.

        The materials cost: I spent my whole stipend, $1,000.

       

---

Fliers powerless on baggage rules
Tourists spend day in pen over stolen pig
Please don't abuse the pigs
Downtown eateries open this weekend
Sprawl label is disputed
Cleveland's 'Ecovillage' held up as role model
Woman left in stench called eccentric
International trade meeting to spark protests
Adopted teens to be tried as adults
Mother recounts day girl, 2, died
Rising from ashes - again
A busyness dropout
Ask a Stupid Question ...
He's a new man
On The Fridge
Aquatic center plan criticized
Attempted murder indictment issued
Coca-Cola memorabilia a big draw
Event helps homeless vets
Flying Fortress lands at Lunken
Getting ready for Kentucky Cup Day of Champions
Hamilton gas rates to rise 35%
Holdup nets 46 months
In the Schools
Money shifted into sidewalks
Office workers roll up sleeves for good cause
Persistence pays off for small college
Radio airs game prayers
Signs have message for under-21 drinkers
State expands day-care aid
Get to it
Kentucky News Briefs
Pig Parade/The Puccini Pig
Tristate A.M. Report