{"id":76006,"date":"2022-07-18T11:09:19","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T15:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=76006"},"modified":"2022-07-18T11:09:19","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T15:09:19","slug":"scoop-soprano-angel-blue-quits-italian-opera-debut-blackface","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2022\/07\/18\/scoop-soprano-angel-blue-quits-italian-opera-debut-blackface\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SCOOP | Soprano Angel Blue Quits Italian Opera Debut Over Blackface"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Angel
Angel Blue, August 10, 2016 at the Papp L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Budapest Ar\u00e9na, Hungary (Photo: Elekes Andor CCOC 4.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

American soprano Angel Blue announced that she would be stepping down from her role in La Traviata<\/em> in Verona, Italy. The performance would have marked her debut at the Arena Di Verona opera festival.<\/p>\n

In an Instagram post quoted by Deadline<\/em><\/a> (her account @angeljoyblue seems to have since been disabled or deleted), she told her followers the reason: the use of blackface in the Arena di Verona production of Aida<\/em>, starring Liudmyla Monastyrska and Anna Netrebko, among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers, I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata<\/em> at Arena di Verona this summer as planned,\u201d Blue wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be perfectly clear: the use of blackface under any circumstances, artistic or otherwise, is a deeply misguided practice based on archaic theatrical traditions which have no place in modern society. It is offensive, humiliating and outright racist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of public pressure by Civil Rights activists, blackface is virtually unheard of in North America, although it regularly crops up in European theatre<\/a> and opera companies. The production of Aida<\/em> is based on Franco Zeffirelli’s 2002 staging, which specifies the use of blackface.<\/p>\n

The Arena\u2019s statement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Arena of Verona Foundation issued a statement late last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis production\u2019s characteristics were well known when Angel Blue knowingly committed herself to sing at the Arena,\u201d they write. \u201cEvery country has different roots, and their cultural and social structures developed along different historical and cultural paths. Sensibilities and approaches on the same subject might widely vary in different parts of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

They continue, \u201cCommon convictions have often been reached only after years of dialogue and mutual understanding.\u201d The Arena statement stressed dialogue, \u201cin effort to understand others’ point of view, in respect of consciously assumed artistic obligations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement reads, \u201cContraposition, judgments, labeling, lack of dialogue only feed the culture of contrasts, which we totally reject.\u201d They ask for cooperation \u201cto avoid divisions\u201d.<\/p>\n

When the blackface issue surfaced in July, a spokesperson for the Arena di Verona told OperaWire<\/em><\/a> that in an interview that they didn\u2019t have a more recent production to use, describing their approach as \u201cphilological\u201d. \u201cWe must respect the historical truth,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, when the issue of blackface came up, Anna Netrebko not only defended its use, she mocked the people who raised their objections.<\/p>\n

\n

Anna Netrebko is not just defending her use of blackface here, she is mocking the people who raised the issue, calling them "low class jerks" and "stupid." ?\u200d\u2642\ufe0f?\u200d\u2642\ufe0f?\u200d\u2642\ufe0f #opera<\/a> #racism<\/a> #ByeAnna<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/S4IG6zU4I6<\/a><\/p>\n

— Brian Lauritzen (@lauritzen_brian) June 12, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n