Met Stops Blackface Use

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Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 3:53pm

How did they get away with using blackface for this long?

When the fall production of Verdi's Otello opens next month, its lead character will not be wearing the traditional blackface-style makeup.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/04/429366961/metropolitan-opera-to-drop-use-of-blackface-style-makeup-in-otello?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150804

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 3:56pm

well because the main character is a moor from north africa. Its not any different from Jessie Mueller putting on darker makeup in drood.

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This stuff still happens today. Its just a question of whether you're trying to make it as realistic as possible or have the audience use their imagination. I think you can get away with doing black face on stage because there is some artistic license there, and you're playing a character in another continent.

On another note, I am SOOOOO excited for this as I love Bart Sher and love this opera!! (I rarely go to the opera btw lol)

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Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:06pm

"This stuff still happens today. Its just a question of whether you're trying to make it as realistic as possible or have the audience use their imagination. I think you can get away with doing black face on stage because there is some artistic license there, and you're playing a character in another continent.
On another note, I am SOOOOO excited for this as I love Bart Sher and love this opera!! (I rarely go to the opera btw lol)"

OMG, you're so right. Forget casting PoC in roles, we can just throw blackface on some white people! It's not racism, it's art!

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:07pm

This stuff still happens today.

I didn't know that. I thought the prevailing feeling was if you can't get a black actor, don't do the show.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:08pm

IF ONLY.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:08pm

" I think you can get away with doing black face on stage because there is some artistic license there, and you're playing a character in another continent. "

Why not just cast an actor of that actual ethnic/racial background?

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:09pm

I've been trying to ignore Philly but I can't with this.

"I think you can get away with doing black face on stage because there is some artistic license there, and you're playing a character in another continent. "

You're racist. Go Away.

"Its not any different from Jessie Mueller putting on darker makeup in drood."

Yeah, it actually is different. Did you see Drood? They all were characters playing characters in a music hall.

I looked up music hall for you, since I'm sure you don't know:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_hall

Updated On: 8/5/15 at 04:09 PM

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:11pm

to be completely honest, its a different game when it comes to opera. Musical theatre, sure yea, thats every genre of music and you can find all different types of people doing it. Its not really like that in the opera as theres not that many black opera singers. I think its a cultural thing as many black people are into rap, r+b, soul, jazz, ragtime, and blues

Neon, tell me how much YOU know about the opera world?

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Updated On: 8/5/15 at 04:11 PM

#10

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:13pm

"to be completely honest, its a different game when it comes to opera. Musical theatre, sure yea, thats every genre of music and you can find all different types of people doing it. Its not really like that in the opera as theres not that many black opera singers. I think its a cultural thing as many black people are into rap, r+b, soul, jazz, ragtime, and blues
Neon, tell me how much YOU know about the opera world?"

That was just so...racist. So racist.

#11

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:15pm

so why is drood the exception? Its still a white girl putting on tan makeup no matter what lol.

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#12

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:15pm

"to be completely honest, its a different game when it comes to opera. Musical theatre, sure yea, thats every genre of music and you can find all different types of people doing it. Its not really like that in the opera as theres not that many black opera singers. I think its a cultural thing as many black people are into rap, r+b, soul, jazz, ragtime, and blues
Neon, tell me how much YOU know about the opera world?"

I can't even right now...

#13

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:15pm

it is racist but its the truth lol

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Updated On: 8/5/15 at 04:15 PM

#14

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:18pm

Jesus Christ, Philly. Are you really defending the usage of BLACKFACE? Were you raised in the 1800's?? Mods, can someone ban him for blatant racism?

#15

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:20pm

I don't get it: are you telling me there are *no* tenors from Morocco, Libya, Algeria, or Egypt willing to perform at the MET?

#16

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:22pm

im not defending it, but i can see how its been used in the past. Its a sticky subject.

I believe that the best person should sing the role, and if that happens to be a white person then so be it. Porgy and Bess isnt even done in opera houses as much, or when it is, there are white singers on the stage, or they have to get other black singers who dont necessarily sing opera just to get more color on the stage. I dont like that because then the quality of the music goes down, and thats what the opera is all about

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Updated On: 8/5/15 at 04:22 PM

#17

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:22pm

That's fine if you believe that, but for the sake of all things sacred and holy, stop ending every sentence in lol! It makes you come off as taking everything as a trivial matter. I know it's the same as saying "like" or "um" when talking, but get real. It makes it even harder to take you seriously.

but um its the truth that were reeeeeeaaallllllyyyyyyy trying to help you be more better at making your point lol

#18

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:24pm

"I don't get it: are you telling me there are *no* tenors from Morocco, Libya, Algeria, or Egypt willing to perform at the MET? "

do those places even have the opera?

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#19

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:25pm

I'm not an area studies scholar, but I'm guessing they do. Morocco certainly has a long musical tradition.

#20

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:26pm

1. Drood is significantly different because Mueller role was a British musical performer in a period when that was standard practice, playing an ethnic character in the. Musical Hall's Drood. She was not actually playing a woman of color.
2. The issue with opera is that even though you see such a ante grade and daring productions, powers that be and aging ticket buyers desperately cling to certain traditions of opera and don't want that to vary. That has a direct influence in things such as this.. This did it 50 years ago, so therefore it is still acceptable to enough of those people.
3. Nice to see this change.

#21

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:26pm

Reminder: this is a user who spent an entire thread arguing that bisexuality is not real.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#22

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:29pm

I'm happy to see this change as well. The only thing is that now people will say things like "well why couldn't they just get a black guy to sing the role."

I am all about color blind casting as I've said numerous times and Kad was greatly against my diverse production of Fiddler on the Roof

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#23

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:30pm

Frankly, this is one of the few good decisions Peter Gelb has made in his entire tenure. At least when the Met goes bust under his watch, it will have done so as a marginally more progressive institution than it was.

#24

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:36pm

I completely agree!! and we need more people writing operas, and opera houses taking a chance on them so that the art form doesnt die, and so we can have new arias that will get people excited again! You can only see a production of La Boheme so many times.

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#25

Met Stops Blackface Use

Posted: 8/5/15 at 4:38pm

Why not just cast a black opera singer? There's no excuse for the use of black - face or yellow - face or any sort of make up to someone look like another race.

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