By: Andrew Cheng

Angel Blue, an African-American soprano, announced that she would not attend the Italian opera festival, Verdi’s “La Traviata” at the Arena di Verona as planned. Angel Blue confirmed her decision after learning that the event had featured artists in blackface, such as Russian soprano star Anna Netrebko who posted a photo of herself in blackface make-up to play the title role of an Ethiopian princess.

Blue said she could not be with “good conscience” to maintain any association with this incident as a black person. “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 wrote. “It is offensive, humiliating, and outright racist. Full stop.”

Also, in recent decades, public figures such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Jimmy Fallon, Jason Aldean, and many other prominent figures and entertainers have been reprimanded for wearing blackface makeup.

However, blackface has endured in Europe and Russia for a long time. On the other hand, Anna Netrebko hasn’t made any good impressions on U.S. audiences. For starters, she is a fanatic supporter of Putin. She is considered a horrible political figure in the U.S. She also canceled performances in Europe and the U.S. because the opera required her to renounce her support for Putin. Netrebko has also been outspoken about wearing black face makeup because she believes it maintains the theater tradition.

Overall, the personal beliefs and the behavior of Anna Netrebko have driven conflict between her and Angel Blue. Performing in blackface is viewed as racist in the U.S. but not in Europe and Russia. The situation has drawn attention to what some might argue is a cultural difference between these two sopranos.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/07/16/angel-blue-withdraw-aida-blackface/