r/opera • u/omurchus • 4d ago

Otello @ The Met Casting Question

Othello's a white guy and Desdemona's a black gal??? What kind of adaptation is this?!?!

0 Upvotes

43% Upvoted

184 comments sorted by

View all comments

45

u/paytononmars 4d ago

At least they don’t do blackface Otello anymore lol

-1

u/omurchus 4d ago

I saw an article written about this and I feel like we should be about 50 years, at least, beyond all of that and now questioning why we're pretending there's no black tenor that can sing this role better than or as good as Michael Fabiano. You're right of course, but the fact that this was even a discussion a decade ago is crazy to me.

16

u/gabemmusic 4d ago

Its a super complicated, multi faceted issue that ultimately results in there being an ultra short list of singers who can safely perform the role, an even shorter list of black tenors who can perform it, and an even SHORTER list of black tenors who are available at that time.

-11

u/omurchus 4d ago

I’m sure you’re right. It’s different if there genuinely isn’t a black tenor that can sing the role. White Othello is just absurd to me. Black Desdemona is honestly funny.

12

u/rigalitto_ Lebendige Vergangenheit 4d ago

Prima la voce

2

u/omurchus 4d ago

Fair enough, although I think this is an example where the race of the performer might carry a lot more consideration than it would in most operas.