Angel Blue Cancels Arena di Verona Debut Due to Blackface Controversy

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Angel Blue has canceled her debut at the Arena di Verona.

The soprano took to social media and said, “Dear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers, I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata at Arena di Verona this summer as planned. As many of you know, Arena di Verona recently made the decision to utilize blackface makeup in a recent production of Aida. Let 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.”

She added, “It is offensive, humiliating, and outright racist. Full stop. I was so looking forward to making my house debut at Arena di Verona singing one of my favorite operas, but I cannot in good conscience associate myself with an institution which continues this practice. Thank you for your understanding, and to all who have shown support and sensitivity to me and my fellow artists of color.“

The cancelation comes a few days after Anna Netrebko performed “Aida” on July 8 in Blackface. The opera had opened on June 18 with Liudmyla Monastyrska also in Blackface.

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https://operawire.com/angel-blue-cancels...ce-controversy/

Is "blackfacing" in this case really so terrible?

about Anna Netrebko:

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Anna Yuryevna Netrebko (Russian: Анна Юрьевна Нетребко; born 18 September 1971) is a Russian operatic soprano who has[1] an active international career and performed prominently at the Salzburg Festival, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, and The Royal Opera.

Discovered and promoted by Valery Gergiev, she began her career at the Mariinsky Theatre, collaborating with the conductor in the theater and performances elsewhere. She was noticed globally after playing Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the 2002 Salzburg Festival. She had been known for her rendition of lyric and coloratura soprano roles but proceeded into heavier 19th-century romantic roles, such as Leonora in Il trovatore and the role of Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Since 2016, she has turned her focus to verismo repertoire. In 2015 she married Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov, with whom she has been performing frequently since.

In 2022, following the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War she stated she would retire from concert life[2][3] but later announced plans to resume her performances from May 2022.[4][5] As the part of 2022 boycott of Russia and Belarus, her performances and appearances with the Bavarian State Opera[6] and Metropolitan Opera were canceled when the organizers accused her of refusing to publicly distance herself from Vladimir Putin during the Russo-Ukrainian War. In her statement condemning the war, she said, "I am not a member of any political party nor am I allied with any leader of Russia.... In fact, I have met President Putin only a handful of times in my entire life".[7][8]

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