One of our city's hidden treasures

KSDK -- Listen closely in Webster Groves the next six weeks and you'll hear a sort of forgotten sound coming from the Loretto Hilton Center.

"It is world famous as an opera festival and actually. I think we are better known as an opera festival outside St. Louis than inside of St. Louis," says Timothy O'Leary, the general director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

However, opera is a form of theater that can be intimidating for people. "A lot of people think, oh I won't understand, but we perform in English," O'Leary adds.

The truth is if opera scares you, you're missing out on one of our city's hidden treasures. "It's a form of total theater. So all it is is every art form all at once. A lot of people love theater, they love music, they love visual design and movement it's just all those things in combination," O'Leary points out.

The costumes alone are worth the price of admission and almost every single stitch is done here in the basement of the Loretto Hilton Center, where you'll find more than 80 drawers of buttons. Yet, they still have to improvise.

"These are actually covered poker chips because we couldn't find the right size buttons we wanted," explains Pat Seyller, the costume shop manager.

She's a woman with a lot of irons in the fire, six to be exact and they're just really hot not on fire, but you might be surpised by who does most of the really intricate work.

You see, even though there are several women buzzing around him, Bob Trump is actually one of the most talented people in the building.

"I make all my own clothes," he says.

Including the jacket and leather chaps he's wearing.

"Everything except my socks and boots," he points out.

So discover one of our city's secret treasures this summer because let's face it, there are so very many of them.

Find show times for May operas...