More thoughtful staging: Is it possible to make an inoffensive The Mikado with mostly white actors? Sure, says Mary Rose Go.“It made a compelling case that the conflict between these peoples was driven by national, sectarian and religious differences, not race,” he writes-apt given that the director, Francesca Zambello, set the production in the Middle East. New York Times critic Anthony Tomasini points to a production of Aida (paywall) in which not only Aida and Amonasro, her father, were played by black singers (as often happens given that the characters are Ethiopian), but so too was Radames, Aida’s Egyptian paramour. These have the potential to layer provocative-and probably no less controversial-meanings into their productions. What do modern interpreters of their work have to replace it now that foreign cultures are no longer exotic? Casts of multi-ethnic performers and their audiences’ rich awareness of world cultures. Colorblind casting doesn’t have to ignore race-it just shouldn’t exploit it: Puccini and Gilbert and Sullivan had exoticism to give their works extra punch.“It’s not that that demographic doesn’t care-but they’re treated like they don’t.” For any particularly edgy choices, directors might want to explain those before the performance. “It’s sad but opera audiences do tend to be older white wealthy people,” says Naomi André.
Though some opera companies do this at present, it’s not the industry standard. Program notes on historical context: It’s helpful to have program notes that explain the thoughts and historical context behind a composer’s choices, as well as how representation of race (or gender and sexuality, for that matter) and audience response have evolved.
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