Is it OK when an opera singer tries to look a bit Egyptian when singing Aida?

[Rumpelstil]

And besides this isn’t event black face, opera is not descended from minstrel shows.

Exactly!

Just as it has nothing to do with those minstrel shows, when German boys and girls impersonate the 3 Holy Magi or 3 Holy Kings when they are carol singing, and one of the three plays the traditional "Black King" with a dark face.

But German "Gutmenschen" no copy slavishly some politically correct concept from elsewhere - and so one rarely sees a "Black King" among the carol singers any more.
Does this make the world a better place?

 

[weaver2]

No, it doesn’t.

It does!

Clearly you’ve never seen American minstrel shows.

I have.

This is how Minstrelsy was performed in America, it’s totally different in both makeup style and musical style(than opera)

It is.

We should also have a more nuanced view of American minstrel though

Why?

, most of the performances were not intended to be offensive to black Americans,

Their humor was intended to make Blacks look stupid and unsocialized.

and Al Jolson, perhaps the most famous black face minstrel performer was an advocate for civil rights of black Americans long before it was fashionable, and used his connections to break black performers into Hollywood in the early days.

Al Jolson- Misunderstood Hero or Villain?

Ask most movie fans, “What was the first ‘talkie’?” The most frequent reply tends to be “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson. This is a “sort of” correct answer, but not really. The earliest “sound” movies were made by synchronizing motion pictures to phonograph records. In 1926, (a year before...

www.todayifoundout.com

Al Jolson's career has no impact on the issue of Ms Netrebko make up. He may have been a model of equality. Most Minstrel Shows were not. You are not offended by Ms Netrebko makeup and believe other should not be offended either. You are not Black. Your features were never made the butt of hateful, raw jokes. Your race was never treated as stupid and ridiculous. Your race was never officially denigrated and segregated Whether you believe Angel Blue had reason or not to cancel her contract with the Arena di Verona over what most people considered offensive black face the fact is Angel Blue, a Black, was deeply offended.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

It does!

I have.

It is.

Why?

Their humor was intended to make Blacks look stupid and unsocialized.

No, it was not.

Al Jolson's career has no impact on the issue of Ms Netrebko make up. View attachment 67436497 He may have been a model of equality. Most Minstrel Shows were not. You are not offended by Ms Netrebko makeup and believe other should not be offended either.

Correct, no one should be.

You are not Black.

Irrelevant

Your features were never made the butt of hateful, raw jokes.

Neither was Blue’s

Your race was never treated as stupid and ridiculous.

Your race was never officially denigrated and segregated Whether you believe Angel Blue had reason or not to cancel her contract with the Arena di Verona over what most people considered offensive black face the fact is Angel Blue, a Black, was deeply offended.

Wrong kind of black, American blacks are descended from west Africa and largely not from Ethiopia except for handful of very recent immigrants

 

[Rumpelstil]

In short: I can't see why anybody on earth should be "offended" when an opera singer whose job it is to sing the part of a dark-coloured person tries to look a bit like that person.
Only somebody who has made it their business to feel "offended" whenever possible or not possible could feel that way.

 

[Rumpelstil]

Now 19 out of 31 say it is OK when an opera singer tries to look a bit Egyptian when singing Aida.
5 say that it is not OK.

 

[weaver2]

No, it was not.,Correct, no one should be.,Irrelevant

Your opinions.

Neither was Blue’s. Wrong kind of black, American blacks are descended from west Africa and largely not from Ethiopia except for handful of very recent immigrants

It is a fact that minstrel shows denigrated the race Angel Blue belongs to and trying to pretend that Ms Nettrebko's make up wasn't offensive based in Ms Blue's west African rather then Ethiopian ancestors is just silly. All minstrel shows made fun of all Blacks.

Whether or not you think the make-up is black face this production of Aida by Arena di Verona is a revival of an older productions which actually called for black face in the make up directions.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Your opinions.

It is a fact that minstrel shows denigrated the race Angel Blue belongs to

She’s not Ethiopian

and trying to pretend that Ms Nettrebko's make up wasn't offensive based

It wasn’t. There’s no need to pretend.

in Ms Blue's west African rather then Ethiopian ancestors is just silly. All minstrel shows made fun of all Blacks.

No, they didn’t. And this wasn’t minstrel show “black face” in any event

Whether or not you think the make-up is black face this production of Aida by Arena di Verona is a revival of an older productions which actually called for black face in the make up directions.

No, it is not.

 

[Rumpelstil]

@ ‘Everywhere in the world used to have Blackface’ – opera festival defends Anna Netrebko controversy

Anna Netrebko is starring as Aida in the Verdi opera of the same name at the Arena di Verona’s summer festival, and the Italian venue has defended its decision to darken the soprano’s skin for the role.

‘Everywhere in the world used to have Blackface’ – opera festival defends Anna Netrebko controversy

Anna Netrebko is starring as Aida in the Verdi opera of the same name at the Arena di Verona’s summer festival, and the Italian venue has defended its decision to darken the soprano’s skin for the role.

www.classicfm.com

 

[weaver2]

She’s not Ethiopian

Aida was Ethiopian

It wasn’t.

It was offensive to many opera singers

Opera Stars Speak Out on Blackface in Arena di Verona’s ‘Aida’ - OperaWire

(Disclosure: Out of respect for the sensitivity of our audience we will only link to images of blackface instead of showing them here) Following a performance of “Aida” at the Arena di Verona on July 8, several opera singers are calling out Anna Netrebko for the use of blackface. Jamie Barton...

operawire.com

There’s no need to pretend.

Pretend what: that the make-up was black face. It was. Too many people called it blackface. And blacks were offended.

No, they didn’t.

Yes, they did. All minstrel shows made fun of blacks. That was their point. Why else would they wear blackface.

And this wasn’t minstrel show “black face” in any event

It was close enough to offend a lot of people.

No, it is not.

Yes, the Arena di Verona Aida was a revival of a Zefferilli production reviving a 1913 production of Aida.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Aida was Ethiopian

Yeah, so?

It was offensive to many opera singers

Opera Stars Speak Out on Blackface in Arena di Verona’s ‘Aida’ - OperaWire

(Disclosure: Out of respect for the sensitivity of our audience we will only link to images of blackface instead of showing them here) Following a performance of “Aida” at the Arena di Verona on July 8, several opera singers are calling out Anna Netrebko for the use of blackface. Jamie Barton...

operawire.com

Pretend what: that the make-up was black face. It was. Too many people called it blackface. And blacks were offended.

No, it was not black face, a lot of people falsely asserting it is does not make it so

Yes, they did. All minstrel shows made fun of blacks. That was their point. Why else would they wear blackface.

To portray black characters

It was close enough to offend a lot of people.

Yes, the Arena di Verona Aida was a revival of a Zefferilli production reviving a 1913 production of Aida.

Aida is not a minstrel show

 

[weaver2]

No, it was not black face, a lot of people falsely asserting it is does not make it so

Of course it was not black face to you. But it was close enough to it to offend the opera community, opera singers and Blacks. If it is offensive to that many it's inappropriate.

To portray black characters

The purpose of minstrel shows is to portray Blacks by making them looks stupid and ignorant.

Aida is not a minstrel show

Duh!

 

[Parrish]

Is it OK and politically correct when an opera singer tries to look a bit Egyptian when singing Aida?

Here is the case:



https://www.classical-music.com/new...-response-to-anna-netrebko-blackface-scandal/

Just wondering @Rumpel, is it politically correct for Jesus to be portrayed as a white European, a la Heinrich Hoffman?