My friend Katherine Connell — a.k.a. KConn, KC, KAC (pronounced “Kack”), etc. — sent me this item from the New York Times. It reports that, at the Metropolitan Opera, Otellos will no longer be in blackface.
Fine with me. But if you have a thin baritone in the role of Falstaff, will you make him fat? If so, why? If not, why not?
Staying with Verdi roles, should Rigoletto have a hunched back? In some productions, he does not — not even a hint of one. Then how will you express his disability, outsiderness, and grievance?
Anyway, this is a big subject, fit for a long essay, not a lil’ blogpost. By the way, I did a public interview of Ann Murray (the famed Irish mezzo) at the Salzburg Festival this morning. She told of a Rodolfo who had to carry a very stout Mimì, dying of consumption, to bed. When he got there, the audience applauded.
Really, really rude.
P.S. Opera is not supposed to be cinéma vérité or whatever! The question is, Can you sing, baby? Everything else is gravy (speaking of growing fat). (Hmmm, gravy.)
P.P.S. Leontyne Price has some funny stories about Aida and makeup.