If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hair spray or an electric toothbrush. We asked countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who sings at the Metropolitan Opera and many other venues around the world, and who was just appointed general director and president of Opera Philadelphia, about the insulated tea glasses, fountain pen, and moisturizer he can’t live without.
The thing about opera singers is that if we don’t sing, we don’t get paid. When you’re traveling, you have to cover your housing out of pocket and you don’t get anything for rehearsals, so you’re in the hole before the curtain goes up. And if you miss two out of six performances because you’re sick, that cuts your income by a third. So avoiding a cold is a financial investment. Whenever I feel the littlest tickle, I suck on one of these tablets every two hours. They contain a lot of zinc, which is supposed to be an immune booster, though who knows how much of the effect is psychosomatic.
My friend the cabaret artist Justin Vivian Bond and I were doing a show at St. Ann’s Warehouse, and someone was wearing one of these. We both freaked out. I wear it under a sweater or a blazer practically every day. It’s super-comfortable, it gives you this instant V shape, and if you take off your layers, you’re in a sleeveless shirt looking like Klaus Nomi.
[Editor’s note: This shoulder pad tank goes in and out of stock frequently, so you’ll have to keep an eye out for restocks. In the meantime, Zara’s Shoulder Pad Tank is very similar and is in-stock for $26.]
When I had to appear nude onstage in Philip Glass’s Akhnaten at the Met, I started going to the gym six days a week. Now that I’m back doing Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with a bunch of Mark Morris dancers, I want to look my best. I don’t enjoy working out that much, so I’m always looking forward to a treat afterwards, and these are low carb and low sugar, with 20 grams of protein. It’s basically a chicken breast in Pop Tart form.
When I’m at home practicing, I usually have a cup of soba cha, Japanese buckwheat tea, in my hand as I sing. I love that this glass is not hot to the touch and that you don’t have to have a coaster because it’s built in. I’m not picky about getting the perfect degree of steepage, but a lot of my guests are — maybe it’s a queer intellectual thing or something — and they like that they can see exactly how dark the tea is getting.
I have two oil candles on my coffee table, five votive candles on the dining-room table, and one fragrant Frédéric Malle candle in the bedroom. Since I’m leaning into the diva lifestyle, when I take a bath I like having a candle with a nice scent there, too. And I tend to work late into the night, so having candles around makes it more enjoyable. I get a lot of use out of this lighter, which I can carry around, don’t have to refill with fluid, and can just plug in to recharge.
This is my one cosmetic indulgence. It was developed by a German scientist who was looking for a way to treat burn victims, so it’s reparative, and it also makes my skin radiant. I use it judiciously, because it’s expensive. When I opened at the Paris Opera in Thomas Adès’s The Exterminating Angel recently, I washed off the makeup after the show and put a little of this cream on because I knew it would make me glow for the party. I’ll do the same thing for Orfeo ed Euridice at the Met.
I’m obsessed with this pen. It’s teeny tiny when it’s all closed up, but the cap screws onto the back and it doubles in length, making it easy to write with. I send a lot of opening-night gifts and cards to my castmates — we call them toi toi toi cards — and I take a lot of handwritten notes too. I use the pen with Kaweco Summer Purple ink cartridges. I try to remember to take out the cartridge and wrap it in paper before I fly, in case it gets a little weepy on the plane. Then I wipe it off and put it back in when I land. But even when I forget, which is most of the time, I’ve never had it leak all over my carry-on.
Most of the time I use regular old strawberry ChapStick, but sometimes I’ll spring for an upgrade. This one rolls on clear but then responds to the pH of your lips and turns them a tiny bit pink, like you’ve been eating a sorbet. Plus, it comes in a fun gold dispenser.
Forget Brita. This ceramic jug is easy to clean, and you never have to change the filter. It comes in all these beautiful designs that can sit on your counter — it’s a very functional work of art. I swear it makes water taste better, which is important to me, since I need to hydrate all the time to be able to sing well.
This is far and away the best kind of reusable bag. It’s easy to wipe or rinse and it packs up into a little pouch. I use it for everything: grocery shopping, the gym, even weekend trips. I bring it to rehearsal all the time, especially if I have a second opera score that I want to work on during breaks.
Either this helmet is on my head or it’s attached to my backpack strap. I learned how to ride a bike when I was 27, and now I use Citi Bike to get to meetings, rehearsals, performances, even back from the opera late at night. I always ride with this very lightweight but secure-feeling helmet on. Often, I’ll warm up my voice on the way to the Met, and construction workers look over and say, “Is that guy really singing that high?” If they start to sing in falsetto at me, I’ll stop and say “hi” and give them the same note back.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
