A couple of years ago, I read some irritating news out of England. The musical-theater society at the University of Bristol was scheduled to put on Aida (not the Verdi opera but the musical by Elton John and Tim Rice). The show did not go on. The society canceled it. Why? Students had protested. Again, why? They suspected that white students would be cast in the show, and that was intolerable, because the story involves Egyptians and Ethiopians.

Ay caramba, as they may not say in Ethiopia (or Egypt).

Anyway, this episode provoked an essay by me called “Killing Aida.” It discussed the fatal clash between identity politics and the arts. One or the other has to die. I am rooting for identity politics.

Last week, Daniel Hannan had a column — an excellent column — on the same theme. I learned the following from him: “Sierra Boggess, who was to have starred as Maria in the BBC Proms production of West Side Story, withdrew from the role after critics complained that the part should be reserved for a singer of Latin American background.”

Again, ay caramba (as Maria might say). For a big recording — a major testament — Leonard Bernstein cast Kiri Te Kanawa — Dame Kiri, the Kiwi — in this role. And he wrote the damn thing. You know whom he cast as Tony, the Polish-Irish American? José Carreras, the Spanish tenor.

So, chew on that.

I chew on it a bit in my latest Jaywalking, here. I play a little of Te Kanawa and Carreras singing “Tonight.” I go on to discuss an assortment of issues, sometimes with musical accompaniment. For instance, we have Connee Boswell in “Moon over Miami.” Connee B. was a marvel, and an early inspiration for Ella Fitzgerald.

This podcast has something for (almost) everyone. If you have an idle minute, give it a whirl.