British Opera stops blacking up in 2005

Last week Britain's Royal Opera House called for the end of "blacking up," white actors wearing black body and face makeup to play black characters. The Royal Opera spokesperson said: "We had tried various means to see if there was a way in which we could resolve the issue of whether a white actor should be 'blacked up' and decided we should cut it. It doesn't work. It's racially insensitive."

Of course they issued this statement after the play "The Masked Ball" ran in the summer and caused controversy. When the same play began rehearsals for an opening this week, a British newspaper columnist clowned them for blacking up a white actress for the role of "negro fortune teller" in this play set in pre-Civil War America. He wrote: "To see a revival of 'blacking up' in the opera house in 2005 is just beyond belief," adding: "We couldn't stop laughing at the ludicrous sight." About 24 hours after the column ran, the opera issued the statement saying that the actress will not be blacked up for her role.

Apparently, blacking up is reserved for the rare situation when a play calls for a black or non-white character and the directors have problems casting a person of that race. It's not like they do this every day. Opera industry types say that it's cool because there aren't many black opera singers who can hit the specific range of some characters - like Othello, which was performed by an actor in blackface as late as the eighties.

I think it's a tight situation. I'm sure it's hard to find black opera singers and then one who can match a specific vocal range that's required for the role. They say the pickings are slim, so why not start some programs where non-white children are encouraged to take vocal training? Maybe there aren't many black opera singers because black people aren't exposed and have little interest in it. Regardless, you just need to suck it up and roll with the embarrassment of having a white woman play a black character. It's better than insulting an entire race of people. I'm proud of the Royal Opera for putting their foot down...at last. The director of the opera was reportedly not happy with the news, but went along with the RO's decision.