Singers slam Anna Netrebko over blackface Aida
NewsAs if supporting Putin’s illegal wars was not bad enough, Anna Netrebko is now under fire from right-on colleagues for blacking up to sing Aida at the Arena di Verona.
Here’s a sampling:
It's been a long day and I'm hella tired, but I'm not too tired to say that BLACKFACE IS, AND ALWAYS WAS DISGUSTINGLY WRONG. (Whyyy is this even a question?? How is this not obvious?!)@AnnaNetrebko and @arenadiverona, do better. It's seriously not that hard.
— Jamie Barton (@jbartonmezzo) July 12, 2022
At this point, Anna Netrebko’s block list is probably longer than Don Giovanni’s catalogue
— ryan colbert. 🍋 (@RyanontheRun) July 11, 2022
I drafted a tweet for y’all who are having trouble using words:
Anna Netrebko’s use of blackface is deeply painful to the Black community. If we claim to be moving forward as an industry, we must denounce the behavior. I call upon my colleagues to do the same. Do not hire her.
— Redbone Soprano (@melissawimbish) July 11, 2022
anna netrebko has shown she does not care about the hurt she causes, she only cares about the hurt she feels. none of us should be obliged to give a shit about the career damage to a mid-at-best soprano who actively performs racist tropes whenever she gets the chance
— young hot baba yaga (@lixstrm) July 12, 2022
I don't want to RT a pic of her, but Anna Netrebko singing Aida in blackface is an absolute disgrace
— Freya Hellier (@freyahel) July 11, 2022
An actor is someone who is pretending to be someone they are not. If someone is pretending to be an Ethiopian then I do not see why they shouldn’t wear some dark make-up to pretend to be an Ethiopian. The thing is fiction – after all it is sung in Italian!
I agree with that. Two points:
One is that if she performed Aida she did not do it alone, and there are such things as stage directors who, I can tell you from personal experience, miss nothing when it comes to an actor’s on-stage appearance, so the decision about her make-up is not hers, or at least hers alone (though she is a big enough star that if she had objected she might have been listened to).
Second, in this as in most things, context is king. If objections to wounded feelings had emanated from the massive Italian black community, I would have taken a different position. But when they come in from the twittersphere, they are being raised by people with agendas who know nothing of what went on in Verona Arena (I suspect a rapt and rapturous crowd) and who are taking “offence” at something happening half a world away.
People just need to back off. Even the Twitterati know that this is not done to offend people — it is THEATRE — and that nobody in the Arena was offended. It threatened nobody. So bloody well stop digging around for trivial issues and go and solve some real problems. God knows there are real matters for minorities to deal with. This posturing is more theatrical than anything that went on in an Egyptian-set, Italian-written, Russian-performed fairytale that was SUNG. Grow up, if anyone who lives on Twitter has not already forsaken that possibility.
I disagree.
Not only is this “approach” at authenticity unconvincing but unnecessary to the point of being distracting. It always looks like they just slathered used lawn mower motor oil the exposed parts of their body. It looks silly.
Well, if you are talking about the picture above, I agree with you. I think a lighter hand with the makeup would have been in order. But I do not oppose makeup in principle to suggest something theatrical. And I still think it is a trivial issue: this is not being done as “blackface” in the old way that really was offensive. It is just to suggest a locale.
I had to wear dark body make-up and appropriate with Scottish Opera in The Pearl Fishers produced by the lovely Stephen Pimlott, and as did all the chorus because we were Ceylonese – Sri Lankans for the politically correct on here! We were acting and portraying people as Ceylonese – what the opera was about, and sung in French, and not in any native language that would imply we were becoming Ceylonese, and so sack the lot of us and bring in a Ceylonese company? Not some of us with red hair, freckles amd mostly Scottish. I fear this is more Netrebko-bashing and by people who have never worked in opera theatres but expert on political correctness. Next you will have to be only an Italian to sing in Italian and Brits not allowed.
Sure, that’s why all the black singers singing Violettas, Mimis and Rodolfos are painted white form head to toe! oh, they are not? scandalous! why don’t you start a petition in that sense?
She is not in USA, stop moralising and focus on genuine problem of racism people of colour in English-speaking countries face
If it was necessary to look Ethiopian or Egyptian for the role of Aida, they would need to get a different singer. A slender singer, not a chubby one like Netrebko.
Evidence: Look at ancient pictographs of Pharoahs and their attendants. Not a single fat person to be seen anywhere!
Fat Aida is just not right.
And to those Netrebko-defenders who say I am fat-shaming, I say not.
I am hypocrite-shaming. This is aimed only at Netrebko, who has no real ethics but picks and chooses whatever supports her self-interest and everyone else be ****ed. Let’s see if she likes a taste of her own medicine.
If it’s all about pretending, why don’t we just pretend she has dark skin?
I agree entirely –
She is an artist. How is she hurting black people by playing a dark skin toned character ?
I guess it was OK fir Michael Jackson to go White – but goibg black is a no no !
Eh !?
Have people lost their minds ?
Who are they all trying to please !?
I’m sorry the Jesse Norman, the Goddes herself is not around anymore to play that part without raising suspicions of racism.
That is not blackface.
It s a playful combination of black and white face , at the crossroads of two propagandistic systems of representation.
Anon is right: blackface is a caricature of a stereotype created in the nineteenth century by white Americans, and Netrebko’s stage make-up is nothing like that. The whole question of whether nowadays a singer or actor of one race should attempt by using make-up to look like a member of another race is a different question.
“mid at best soprano” – can’t agree more.
First two-faced, now black-faced and all the while Putin on the Ritz, no doubt.
What has Putin got to do with Aida? Didn’t know he was in it.
Netrebko strikes me as a trapped, wounded animal who is now lashing out at the establishment. It’s as if she’s saying, “I’ll show those Western liberal democratic institutions how things are done where I come from.” Fact is, by singing in Blackface she’s only digging a deeper hole for herself.
She isn’t “lashing at the establishement”. She is simply showing the middle finger to the values of “the West.” What she has always done is not new at all (take a look at her instagram, that’s enough). For Anna Netrebko, only Anna Netrebko exists, other people are there to pay her and admire her. On top of that, she is a typical Russian, and Russians are racists, not in the sense of skin color but for russians a human being is only an ethnic russian.
I had a Russian painter in my apartment a few years ago. To make small talk, I mentioned how lively the Russian immigrant community in Brighton Beach seemed. His response was “They are not Russian, they are Jewish”. To me, that said it all.
People tell me iam not British. Even though my grandparents have been here sine 1870. I tell them my mother liked
Swedish men. Maybe iam not British
At least you have not suffered a pogrom.
I think you have just made a racist comment.
Blackface is largely an American and to a lesser degree UK issue. Non-Americans are very tired of America exporting its history and its problems to the rest of the world in what amounts to cultural imperialism. Anyway, I don’t see that Anna’s make-up is caricaturing black people. And I can’t think of any Othello or Aida performance that caricatured black people.
The train has left the station. Get on board or not. The civilized world is moving on.
It is a simple matter of racial sensitivity and respect, which when willfully ignored is racism.
No – it’s pandering to a race who seem to be determined to remain victims forever (perhaps as an excuse for never having achieved very much).
That is about the most ignorant remark I have seen — leader in a crowded field — that I have ever seen around here.
Exactly! You are portraying a part in Italian – or can be in English like ENO in London – and not becoming it.
Ban Shakespeare, Mozart, Verdi, Richard Strauss and Gershwin for ever!
No more black-faces on stage!
Gershwin?George and Ira themselves stipulated that Porgy and Bess should only ever be performed by black singers, ideally African-American.
Black opera singers should start doing whiteface.
Pretty Yende should just cake on the most unnatural shade of ghostly white paint on her face, and don a platinum blond wig, the next time she does Desdemona.
We’ll see how much the white audience won’t be utterly distracted and perturbed by the absurd exercise.
If you look at old Met photos from the 50s and 60s, that is essentially what was often attempted–with rather questionable results.
How about everyone just use their God-given skin tone?
The vast majority of black women seem to try to copy Caucasian hairstyles anyway. If they’re not wearing wigs or using extensions, they’re straightening the life out of their natural hair.
Whiting up, actually, was ever the way for black singers on the operatic stage. The aforementioned George Shirley once said: “One of the reasons my path has been fairly smooth is the fact that I’m light-skinned, and I’ve always used make-up – like my colleagues have used it – to make myself look more like the characters have been traditionally portrayed. Some people have not known I was black.”
How true that is! Our opera writer Hugh Vickers recalls seeing Shirley in a 1969 production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Covent Garden with him so made up in the role of David that his companion simply would not believe that he was black.
Perhaps the choice of using “blackface” in the production was not Netrebko’s but, rather, the director’s. A question: how often do opera singers make compromises with a production in order just to have a job?
Anna Netrebko is of a stature that a director (or conductor) has very little voice in her choices, for better or worse. It is a matter of Ms. Netrebko’s lack of cultural sensitivity and plain poor judgement.
Audiences obviously choose to hold their noses.
Audiences are especially prone to holding their noses when her old buddy Gergiev conducts
Or maybe they, unlike the teddy bear army of perpetually aggrieved, just don’t give a toss.
This production was staged in 2019 at the Arena and the singer at the time did not perform in blackface. Moreover, the way Netrebko parades it on her social media shows that she’s the instigator here.
Appalling that there are people here defending blackface in 2022.
The primary problem is this debate is that your theatrical term ‘blackface’ is 100% American and has no contextual meaning in Europe. So please, leave that term to describe whatever cultural expressions have taken place on your continent and leave Europe in peace. We need 0% of your exported wars, whether material or cultural.
All the time! Stage directors and producers rule, particularly outside of Britain where they are less collaborative with their singers and musical directors.
As an Italian reader, and opera-goer, apologizing to all non-Italian readers and opera-goers, I must say that what happened was not meant to be offensive and was not received as offensive to that audience.
Aida, like Othello, is the story of a “different” maiden, an “outcast,” forced to live among an enemy people. Today, as in 1871, diversity in Italy is also represented by the physical characteristic of the character, which complements her, and indeed, reinforces her humanity. The enemy general falls in love with her, they are different peoples and their diversity is (perhaps must be) immediately visible, and their love to the death is perfectly normal and for the audience also a message of peace.
In this context an Aida perfectly equal to Radames does not work.
This kind of theater make-up is not meant to be racist. Indeed, in historical stagings it is perceived as a necessary part of the production.
In Italy there is a part of the audience of African descent that does not consider this a scandal or disrespect, but just theater, fiction.
Are you a black Italian? If not you do not speak for them
Are *you* a black Italian? If not, why do you try to speak in their name?
And you what do you have to do with Aida?
Precisely! it is like when your great sublime maestro Muti hires a black singer to make him sing the line “dirty negro blood” and asks him publicly if he has any problem singing that.
He absolutely meant no offense to anyone.
Brother, we are in the 21st century. I know it’s a tough reminder to an Italian society that lives dominated by the Mafia and perfectly at ease with thousands and thousands of pedophile priests let loose on the school population, but 21st century still is. Nobody gives a shit about your historical blah blah, take your blackface and stick it “dove non batte il sole”.
Your comment alone should show everyone where racism, fundamentalism and violence really lie.
Peace and love, brother.
You mean Italy is really not dominated by the mafia?
Obviously you don’t know anything about Italy. Neither its past nor its present. You have just lost a good opportunity to say something intelligent.
And this regardless of the point being discussed in this thread.
@Andrea, have you asked that audience how they feel, or are you making assumptions based on their silence?
I don’t mean this in an accusatory way, I am genuinely interested to know how you have researched this.
In the US and UK there was an unvoiced discomfort with the use of Blackface within Black communities long before they felt empowered to challenge it.
The ” Audience” is getting very tired of this small woke minority taking offense of everything.
Actually, I have not checked this with all the people who watch the opera. Sometimes I go with an Ivorian friend of mine, who has grown up in Italy since childhood. He finds this practice more ridiculous than effective, but he takes it for what it is: a theatrical stereotype (perhaps because he grew up in Italy and has taken a viewpoint common to his friends and colleagues, etc.). I know that many people of color work on stage and behind the scenes: if I get a chance, I will ask them what they think.
Since words reflect ideas, I would like to say that “blackface” is a new term for us and, in its negative meaning, a new concept: there is not even an Italian word for “blackface.” My country has, like many Western countries, many terrible colonial stains in its history but it was something that did not significantly affect the composition of the current population: immigration from other countries has only recently increased. I found that less than 2 percent of Italians are black and perhaps most of them do not know that blackface exists. I’m just trying to explain the reasons why this practice has never been a scandal in Italy so far (and in most other European countries, as was also the case at the Met until a few years ago), where these kinds of traditional settings and conventions take place.
I hope that every minority in Italy will speak out on this and, if they are offended by what they see, let them say so: for now it is a controversy that remains on Twitter and here.
Just to add a bit more context to the excellent post by Andrea, the largest communities of foreigners in Italy are in decreasing order, the Romanian, the Albanian and the Moroccan who, I could say (hopefully without being accused of racism or wathever) have etnic characters very similar or comparable, to the ‘native italians’ ones (whatever it means). For example, I know people from Southern Italy whose skin is darker than hat of some Northern African people. As said this is just historical information. Immigration from sub saharan Africa and/or Asia is much more recent and numbers of people from these countries living in Italy are far smaller than let’s say in the US or UK.
Thank you both for engaging with my question in such a civilised, rounded and reflective way. I think it’s important to understand the differences between cultural sensitivities, but also to be aware that commonalities of sentiment may exist, even if not immediately apparent.
Healthy discussion of these topics is not something this platform sees often.
No it’s controversy that exists in places that are a bit more evolved than your country
Sorry Giorgio, I don’t know where you are from, despite your name being clearly of Italian origin. But I would be careful of calling any country ‘more evolved’ than anothers. Italy may have many problems (and I am well aware of them) but in terms of human rights, social services, perceived security (I mean living without the fear of being shot by a random guy who bought a gun at the nearest supermarket) well, there is a long list of countries where the concept of ‘less developed’ (do you like this game?) could be applied, to my point of view at least.
The problem is that talking by stereotypes is a very dangerous game. The Arena di Verona (in this particular case), its directors, casts etc are not ‘Italy’ and they certainly do not represent the (majority of the) Italian population. The context, the culture, the history of the people matter in any situation where ethics come into play. The same situation may be perceived as perfectly acceptable or absolutely insulting by people living in e.g. Kenya or Japan. I think we should stop judging people using and/or trying to impose our sense of ‘morality’.
Yes, fair enough. But I think the world is not just the US and the UK. And maybe things are considered and felt differently other countries.
can’t agree more and it’s just hideous what’s going on here
Netrebko hasn’t done anything wrong here and one can’t take it seriously anymore what going on with do called political correctness! People are fed up with the hypocrisy especially in the US
Caro mio, don’t expect the Anglo responses – especially when they’re from overseas – to minimally reach your level of expression and understanding of history. The Yankees’ highest culinary expression is McDonald’s, their musical scene is equally dire.
Stephanie Blythe’s twitter suggested that Aida, Madame Butterfly and Turandot be retired. Let’s retire two ton tessies like Blythe and Barton instead.
When you resort to name calling, you’ve admitted defeat.
No, just an observation.
I have retired from “liberal arts”, SJW-activists lecturing to the audience.
I would rather attend a Netrebko concert, just to protest.
She should have put on a green face . Or a Ukrainian flag face. Or better a rainbow face to show her LGBTQ support. ( C’mon. This is ridiculous. An artist on a stage can juggle freely with these representational codes however he wants to at odds with propaganda of any sort.)
No artistic representation is politically innocent and an artist s politics is primarily the freedom of self-expression and of showing how totalitarian, intolerant ideologies maims souls and consciences.
*maim
Not hugely surprising, nor are the usual suspects in the comments, who are making the same tired arguments as to why they think this isn’t a problem.
As I said in the last iteration of this story – Applying makeup to appear as a different race is offensive to many, but especially when there is a long history of it being done to prevent people of that racial group from appearing on stage. That is where Blackface comes from, a misguided sense of superiority, that should be completely confined to history by now.
Netrebko shoulders some responsibility as she could have refused and I doubt anyone would argue, but so too do all the artistic team and creatives who pushed for it in the first place.
The Pew Foundation found Italy to score the worst on its nationalist, anti-immigrant and anti-religious minority scale back in 2017. Things like this really don’t help its reputation.
Here is a proud American who thinks Italy needs to repair its reputation. Now. Do you want to talk about America’s reputation? Let’s ask Iraqi, Afghani, Syrians, Lybians, any Latin American, Chinese, etc…
How did the Pew Foundation score Islamic or Hindu countries ?
Sorry that is my mistake for not qualifying, it was based on countries in Western Europe.
What Mrs.Barton does to a colleague , namely the call to mediatic lyinching, is abhorrent and speaks volumes about her human quality .
Absolutely right.
You ain’t seen nothing; I can’t wait to boo her off the stage in Paris.
Even if art is universal, something that is offensive to one people may not be offensive to another. We should not say what is morally right or wrong using only our own criteria. Even thinking that Italy (or Russia) is a people of racists is a form of supposed intellectual superiority (and of racism) and worse is the idea that we can export our ethical values anywhere.
When the African or Oriental communities in Italy feel offended by opera stereotypes, they will make their voice heard, and things will change even for a country that tends to be conservative like Italy
What shade of makeup was worn by the baritone singing Amonasro? Were the Egyptians all portrayed as Caucasians?
This Zeffirelli production was created over 20 years ago and Verdi created this score 151 years ago. As prescribed by the score Aida is a darker skin colored slave in ancient Egypt. It is not Porgy and Bess composed by Gershwin 64 years later with a complete singing cast of black singers. I agree with the wish of Gershwin, that his opera should be performed in the US only by singers of color, but he did not extend his wishes to other territories; knowing that other countries knowing that European Opera Houses may not have the budget to present his masterpiece with singers of color (remember that East Germany, Czechoslovakia had over 150 performances of this masterpiece with the entire cast and chorus in make up and it was one of the most sold out productions next to Nabucco & La Boheme (I remember that East German baritone Ekkerhard Wlashiha did sing Crown in many of those performances – he was well known over the globe mostly for Alberich in Wagner’s Ring.) My guess is that Gershwin would been happy that his masterpiece was so popular and performed by companies who 40-50 years ago, or even today, are not able to put a complete cast of singers of color on stage for simple budget issues, not political ones. If we would not have people singing sometimes roles like Otello (from Martinelli trough Domingo to Kaufmann), we would never had certain operas ever performed. Ms. Barton seems to not remember, or have the appropriate knowledge, that Shirley Verrett and Grace Bumbry ( both very sensitive to racial issues used to lighten their skin color by their own will for roles as Leonora in Fidelio, Lady Macbeth or Desdemona to make the original story of the composer & librettist of the piece believable. Wagner’s Brangaene did not use to run on stage with a mohawk hairdo 100 or 60 years ago and I strongly believe Wagner would not allowed it, if alive). The Verona Zeffirelli production together with the original 1913 production (which is used until today has over 250 plus (and 750 plus with other stagings with Aida in black face between 913-2022) performances with all Aida’s including from Caniglia, Callas, Tebaldi trough Dimitrova, He, Gruber to Pirozzi and Siri doing it as prescribed by the composer, librettist and the production directors and history tradition of these two productions until July of 2019, when American soprano Tamara Wilson showed up and refused the black face make up for three performances (singing the second one in orange make up alla Donald Trump 🙂 and getting fired from the third for refusing to accept the history of this production in Verona despite support of Placido Domingo who was conducting it, who tried to convince her to be reasonable and accept at least an off-white make up variation. The performance was delayed for 45 minutes until they got in costume Siri, who replaced her Ms. Wilson could and should opposed to sing Aida in Verona and not sign her contract (if so opposed to the black face make up) because there are at least 5 videos of the same production with different casts making it quite clear that she would be required at least darker skin shade than white) and not making scenes backstage for three nights effecting other colleagues and delays in the performance, by trying to bully her way trough. Many singers walked out of productions they disagreed with the staging, costumes, wigs, or make up. The same way vice versa, if another Brangeane refuses to wear the mohawk hairdo, she has the right, but no right to walk out on that set with a different hairdo, except when agreed by the stage producer and the company manager. If you do not like what you see, or what are you asked to do on stage, find a compromise, or walk away. Ms. Barton maybe an extremely talented singer voice wise, but I truly believe bashing other singers is very unwise and may bite her back. How about taking spending more time with her voice teacher/or coach to improve her “diminuendi” in the veil song of Eboli (in either French/or Italian versions). For the record, I agree that Ms. Netrebko should not be performing on world stages around the globe because of her political support of Mr. Putin and his political minions at least until the nonsensical invasion and war in Ukraine ends; but Ms. Barton obviously lacks the proper knowledge about the performing tradition of the first “1913” and current Zeffirelli production for the last 25 plus years”, but is willing to sing at any Eurotrash looking production of any piece, which would make the composer and librettist turning in their graves. Attacking any of your co-workers without a cause is very unprofessional and may return back at her as a boomerang.
She looks better than Cecilia Bartoli is that beard (shudder).
Anna should call Muti for guidance and counsel on how to spin this. He is an expert on black racial relations (‘immondo sangue dei … etc).
Muti indeed is: he reads the broader context and offers a perfect explanation, showing that neither Verdi nor the librettist were racists. This requires understanding and effort, a process the loud virtueYankee -signallers are uncapable of.
The Verona Arena responded that darkened skin is required because the current production is historic and the Arena is a theatrical museum. A new production will be performed next year and changes will be considered. The arena representative added that Lyudmila Monastryska, who replaced Anna Netrebko in Turandot at The Met, also wore dark makeup. Three additional sopranos will appear as Aida, including Latonia Moore who is Black. International cultural norms change over time, some faster than others. When the U.S. demands rapid cultural or political change by other nations it causes resentment and can lead to violence.
The US isn’t driving the changing attitudes to Blackface; it was on the way out long before BLM. Hardly a reason for disgruntled lovers of historical opera to take to the streets and riot, LOL …
Verona issued a particularly lame statement in which they said “Everywhere in the world used to have what you call Blackface.” That maybe true but is hardly relevant as to whether it should continue.
Mystic Chord wrote, “Verona issued a particularly lame statement…”. Absolutely! As Mahler said, “Tradition ist Schlamperei”.
No comments from the Black community on Twitter? Why do (some) white people always feel the need to speak up for them? I notice that often.
I believe it is known as virtue-signalling, and it goes to my basic point that the Twitterati speak for nobody except themselves. I have always believed that black lives matter, and I do believe that the black communities of not only the US and the UK but many other places have very legitimate, and very serious, grievances that MUST be addressed. And I urge those who share these views to work on things that matter, not on cosmetic (literally and metaphorically) cases where a finely-honed antenna can sniff out an “offence” where none was intended.
It’s all of a piece.
I don’t buy that, but even if it is, it’s pretty far down the totem pole of things that matter.
Otello does not work unless there is a visible difference between Otello and Desdemona. There is an ISSUE in that story. If white tenors are not to be denied the opportunity to play the role, this is suggested by makeup — which can and probably should be a bit more subtle than that apparently slapped on to Anna N. (Though bear in mind, that was for an arena, and may have been more extreme in order to penetrate the audience in the dusk — having worn stage makeup and thought it looked nice in my makeup mirror, I soon learned how abnormal it looked when I used an ordinary one). It is not being done to offend anyone — it is being done for purely theatrical purposes.
Go on Instagram and you will find dozens of Black people musicians and non-musicians, young and old on Netrebko’s Instagram deploring her doing this, and posting that picture proudly.
Why are white singers getting involved? Because musicians are generally more woke (which is not a pejorative) and aware of these issues. If they see something that is inherently wrong, they will call it out, and they have the platform to get this issue picked up and debated in places like SD.
musicians are generally more woke (which is not a pejorative)
Yes, it is.
Pejorative only for racists. Perhaps because of its etymological roots?
And you can detect the race of posters how???
Somewhere in the background there’s a designer, make-up artist, conductor, a local government, an audience, … all lacking in common sense, taste, courage. That says an awful lot.
Netrebko. Was she paid by Putin to perform this tasteless business?
I hope it rains in Verona.
I advise everyone to read this timely article which I wholeheartedly agree – Muti Rejects Revisionist Opera, https://operawire.com/riccardo-muti-rejects-revisionist-opera/
Errata corrige: two-bit singers slam Anna Netrebko.
The question is: how well does Netrebko sing these days?
What a waste of oxygen. Blackface is an American term for white performers mocking black people in dark make-up. Classical opera has historically very little to do with the USA. Yankee singers in Europe should first acknowledge the cultural differences between the two shores of the Pond, then preach us your social justice causes.
Here’s the cultural difference: we’ve been paying for your security since Callas was choking on her Greek meat. You can stand a little preaching when you’re not paying your NATO dues. Start learning Russian faster while you shove down pasta and belt “O sole mio,” comrade.
Although I may not agree with the tone of Bassocantante’s post, your reply has nothing to do with cultural differences. Even if what you write about NATO fees is right (I don’t and couldn’t care less to check). As I said in a reply to another post, the world is not just the US and UK. Cultural diffraction do matter and something that is consider acceptable in one country may be seen as insulting in another one. And vice versa. We should try to acknowledge this fact before judging the customs or moral/ethical choices of people, especially if they live in country we don’t know anything about if not what’s written on Wikipedia.
In the past years the US youth’s main problem have been the correct gender pronouns and which toilet you may use. That’s quite a downwards leap since the 1944 D-Day…
I have a young Black friend who went to a costume party dressed like Anna Wintour, wearing a blond wig with Anna’s signature style.
I thought it was a wonderful play on reverse role-playing. As far as opera is concerned, the Stage is a fantasy place. Imagine, if the birds of the world were to take offense at the clothes and makeup of Papagueno and Papaguena in the Flute. The Twittering world would really, authentically, twitter!
In Italy performing with black theatrical makeup has not been associated with racism. I do not understand why an American solution to an American problem should be forced on Italians: it would be a form of cultural imperialism. BTW, I find Mrs. Blue post offensive to Italians, as racial overtones were never meant. Before performing in Italy maybe she should take the time of understanding its culture.
Gelb seems to know that Anna and her disgusting gigolo will be booed if they ever step foot in the barn again. Fire YE now . . . and no, Anna, no one cares about poor little Tiago’s trust fund.
If you call this blackface, it must be for lack of imagination, or that you see the world in relation to you and only you. There is a whole world outside of the US to whom this is stage makeup to go with the rest of her costume, a world far removed from the origins of American minstrel’s caricature of the 19th century blackface. Grow up. The world does not revolve around you.
Did anyone notice? Since Grace Bumbry wrote her bombshell reaction, Angel Blue’s Facebook page has disappeared! I wonder why.