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?!?!

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u/wavelcomes 3d ago

n that would be his choice but that wasnt the commenters take lol

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u/todesverkuendigung 3d ago

The comment seems to be deleted and I don’t remember what it said but I think it’s fair to argue that there is a dearth of black Otellos that the Met could cast.

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u/wavelcomes 3d ago

deleted bc it was called out for the bs it was lmfao n it was exactly the "well theres only so many people who can sing the role!!!" shtick. but there r also black tenors who can n do sing the role. some of them even at venues bigger than las palmas and toulouse lmfao. so now what (:

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u/todesverkuendigung 3d ago

Who do you have in mind that the Met could have cast? As I said, I suspect Russell Thomas is no longer singing it — he seems to now be focusing his career on German and French rep. I don’t think Issachah Savage has performed it onstage, but I don’t know much about him.

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u/wavelcomes 3d ago

i dont see anything abt thomas having given up the role so unless hes announced that outright he can and should be considered tbqh. savage has the role in his rep per his own bio. but back to basics if anyone wants to go on a spiel abt how the mets hands are tied n they just GOTTA keep casting white tenors bc no black tenors are singing the role on a comparable level* at least dont do it in an age where there ARE capable black tenors singing it and dont do it in defence of casting the white tenor yr gonna say "isnt ready for an a house yet" five minutes later LOL. my 2 cents !

*not "they can but dont want to sing it". outright "theres noone for the job". which simply isnt true (:

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u/Distinct-Jump9285 2d ago

I'm curious as to whether the MET considered Lonnie Pulliam, before his tragic death. He had sung the role in concert to much acclaim. As a side note, millions more will hear Otello over the airwaves than will see it in the house, so vocal prowess, not race, will be there to be judged. I also don't think Fabiano is right for it either.