Making history, one stitch at a time: A conversation with Trish Butterworth

Trish Butterworth was part of the Opera Australia wardrobe department for over forty years. She joined the company in the 1970s and worked under the direction of William Paterson who set the benchmark for top-quality workmanship at an exciting time in the Australian Opera’s history. In 2019, Opera Australia donated 30 costumes worn by Dame Joan Sutherland to the Australian Performing Arts Collection. It was largely thanks to Trish that these costumes had survived amidst the busy environment of a working wardrobe over many decades. Carving out snippets of time under the pressure of meeting tight deadlines, Trish had quietly ensured Sutherland’s costumes were kept safe in a dedicated room at the heart of the company’s headquarters in Sydney. This conversation document focuses on the strong connection Trish formed with Paterson to realize the vision of designers such as Kristian Fredrikson, Michael Stennett and Desmond Digby during the 1970s and 1980s when Sutherland was performing regularly with the company. It also highlights the bond between maker and costume, reflecting on how the costumes were made and why Trish dedicated so many precious hours to preserving what Sutherland considered to be ‘some of the most beautiful costumes I have ever seen’.