Royal Opera House is accused of ‘whitewashing’ over new production of Puccini’s Turandot which is set in China – but only features two Asian actors and an Italian singer as the Chinese Princess
- Opera is set in China but production only has two East or South East Asian actors
- Royal Opera House is ‘opposed to pigeonholing singers… based on ethnicity’
The Royal Opera House was today accused of ‘whitewashing’ over its production of Turandot which is set in China but only features two East or South East Asian actors.
The ‘British East and South-East Asians in Theatre and On Screen’ group also pointed out that Italian singer Anna Pirozzi had been cast as the Chinese Princess Turandot.
The organisation, known as ‘Beats’, was left ‘very concerned’ at the casting – saying it ‘perpetuates the historical and present exclusion of artists of colour from the stage’.
But the Royal Opera House, which is based in London’s Covent Garden, defiantly said it was ‘opposed to pigeonholing singers into certain roles based on ethnicity’.
The venue added that such a move would be ‘limiting and reductive’ and insisted it was ‘proud that this revival presents an outstanding and diverse cast’.
Puccini’s final opera Turandot is set in China and tells the story of Prince Calaf who falls in love with the Princess but can only marry her by answering three riddles.
(From left) Yonghoon Lee, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and Vitalij Kowaljow – who were born in South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine respectively – in the new Royal Opera House production of Turandot
It is also known for its aria Nessun Dorma, which is one of the most famous in opera and was popularised further by Pavarotti after he sung it at the 1990 World Cup.
Where were the nine lead stars in ROH’s Turandot born?
- PRINCESS TURANDOT – Anna Pirozzi (born in Italy)
- CALAF – Yonghoon Lee (born in South Korea)
- LIÙ – Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha (born in South Africa)
- TIMUR – Vitalij Kowaljow (born in Ukraine)
- PING – Hansung Yoo (born in South Korea)
- PANG – Aled Hall (born in Wales)
- PONG – Michael Gibson (born in Scotland)
- EMPEROR ALTOUM – Alexander Kravets (born in Ukraine)
- MANDARIN – Blaise Malaba (born in Congo)
The nine lead characters in the Royal Opera House production, which runs until April 13, come from six countries – including South Korea, South Africa and the Congo, reported the Daily Telegraph.
But Beats, which promotes Asian representation in the performing arts, has criticised the casting decisions.
A Beats spokesman said: ‘Beats is very concerned about the upcoming Royal Opera House production of Puccini’s Turandot, which has highly limited representation of BESEAs (British East and South East Asians) on stage. Across the casts, only two of the nine lead roles are performed by BESEA singers.
‘Casting a white actor in a specifically non-white role, known as ‘whitewashing’, is regressive, as it perpetuates the historical and present exclusion of artists of colour from the stage.
‘It also limits the ability of artists of colour to participate in the telling of their own stories on stage.
‘Whilst we acknowledge that some artists of colour have been added to the cast, we fail to see why there are only two BESEA singers in a production that is set in China.’
However a spokeswoman for the Royal Opera House told MailOnline: ‘The Royal Opera House has a duty to recognise the importance of the opportunities afforded on our stages and we are committed to ensuring the broadest range of artists can benefit from them, now and long into the future.’
‘We are opposed to pigeonholing singers into certain roles based on ethnicity, recognising that to do so would be limiting and reductive.
The Royal Opera House, based in London, said: ‘We are opposed to pigeonholing singers into certain roles based on ethnicity, recognising that to do so would be limiting and reductive’
‘At the same time, we do not ignore ethnicity entirely. Instead, we are committed to colour-conscious casting, an approach which considers the nuance required to authentically and respectfully portray each and every story.
‘We are proud that this revival presents an outstanding and diverse cast, and we will continue to work with others across the industry to ensure that broader representation is achieved on our stages and across the performing arts.’
Beats also criticised the Royal Opera House last September over the casting of Madama Butterfly after an Italian and Armenian were placed in leading roles in the opera about a Japanese geisha exploited by an American officer.
But this came after a lengthy consultation by the venue on make-up, costumes and choreography to ensure the production was as inoffensive as possible.
And the Royal Opera House also defended the production at the time, saying that to ‘cast singers in roles based only on their ethnicity can be limiting and reductive.’
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