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http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/race-row-forces-bristol-production-of-classic-opera-aida-to-be-cancelled/story-29779623-detail/story.html
Crazy times.................
Race row forces Bristol production of classic opera Aida to be cancelled
An amateur production of the classic opera Aida in Bristol has been cancelled following a race row.
Students of Bristol University were planning to stage the opera which is set in ancient Egypt but pulled the plug after there were protests that white students would be cast as Egyptian and Ethopian characters.
A statement about the decision was posted on Facebook by the Music Theatre Bristol group announcing the decision to abandon the show.
Written by Giuseppe Verdi the opera is considered one of the classics and is regularly staged by the world's leading opera houses.
Aida is about an Ethiopian princess who has become a slave, and her doomed lover, Radames. The first performance of Aida took place in Cairo in 1871 and has since become one of the world's most performed and best loved operas.
Read more: Bristol's O2 Academy faces losing its licence as it is hauled before council for review
The Music Theatre Bristol society was planning to perform the opera as an 'epic rock musical' as part of its 2017 spring performance season.
Music Theatre Bristol is a student theatre company that puts on shows and events all over Bristol. Shows vary from musical theatre classics such as Anything Goes to modern masterpieces like Spring Awakening.
Members vote on which opera to perform each year and opted for Aida. However, the society has decided to cancel the production following 'controversy in terms of 'racial diversity', adding: 'We would not want to cause offence in any way'.
It is believed many students at the university objected to the staging of the opera on racial stereotyping grounds.
Read more: Has Bristol's Banksy been caught on camera at last?
Announcing the decision on Facebook, the society said: "To all our MTB members, it is with great sadness that we are announcing the cancellation of Aida in this year's MTB show calendar.
"This show that was voted in by our members has since cause controversy in terms of racial diversity.
"To those who had concerns on this we would like to say, the show set in Ancient Egypt is about a war between two countries and as a result the enslavement of one country.
"The two lovers of the story cannot be together due to their responsibilities to their countries as different nationalities and this is reflected in the book, with no comment made on racial discrimination.
"It is a great shame that we have had to cancel this show as of course we would not want to cause offence in any way, and that was certainly never our intention.
Read more: Tributes to university student from Bristol who died after collapsing at basketball game
"Our intention was to tell this story, one which, surely is better heard than not performed at all."
Francis Mark Carter posted on the Facebook page and said: "The cancelling of this production of Aida on the grounds of cultural appropriation is outrageous censorship of the worst variety.
"Aida is a great work of art and belongs to the world. The whole student body is the looser here."
Conrad Young, of Bristol Against Censorship, told the student newspaper Tab: "Although MTB seemed to approach a sensitive topic with great humility and care, Aida was not to be.
Read more: LIVE: Bristol runner Ben Smith starts final marathon in 401 Challenge
"The affect that the fear of cultural appropriation has on modern campuses is a sad affair and in this case has damaged the student experience of the people involved and the prospective student audiences."
Crazy times.................
Race row forces Bristol production of classic opera Aida to be cancelled
An amateur production of the classic opera Aida in Bristol has been cancelled following a race row.
Students of Bristol University were planning to stage the opera which is set in ancient Egypt but pulled the plug after there were protests that white students would be cast as Egyptian and Ethopian characters.
A statement about the decision was posted on Facebook by the Music Theatre Bristol group announcing the decision to abandon the show.
Written by Giuseppe Verdi the opera is considered one of the classics and is regularly staged by the world's leading opera houses.
Aida is about an Ethiopian princess who has become a slave, and her doomed lover, Radames. The first performance of Aida took place in Cairo in 1871 and has since become one of the world's most performed and best loved operas.
Read more: Bristol's O2 Academy faces losing its licence as it is hauled before council for review
The Music Theatre Bristol society was planning to perform the opera as an 'epic rock musical' as part of its 2017 spring performance season.
Music Theatre Bristol is a student theatre company that puts on shows and events all over Bristol. Shows vary from musical theatre classics such as Anything Goes to modern masterpieces like Spring Awakening.
Members vote on which opera to perform each year and opted for Aida. However, the society has decided to cancel the production following 'controversy in terms of 'racial diversity', adding: 'We would not want to cause offence in any way'.
It is believed many students at the university objected to the staging of the opera on racial stereotyping grounds.
Read more: Has Bristol's Banksy been caught on camera at last?
Announcing the decision on Facebook, the society said: "To all our MTB members, it is with great sadness that we are announcing the cancellation of Aida in this year's MTB show calendar.
"This show that was voted in by our members has since cause controversy in terms of racial diversity.
"To those who had concerns on this we would like to say, the show set in Ancient Egypt is about a war between two countries and as a result the enslavement of one country.
"The two lovers of the story cannot be together due to their responsibilities to their countries as different nationalities and this is reflected in the book, with no comment made on racial discrimination.
"It is a great shame that we have had to cancel this show as of course we would not want to cause offence in any way, and that was certainly never our intention.
Read more: Tributes to university student from Bristol who died after collapsing at basketball game
"Our intention was to tell this story, one which, surely is better heard than not performed at all."
Francis Mark Carter posted on the Facebook page and said: "The cancelling of this production of Aida on the grounds of cultural appropriation is outrageous censorship of the worst variety.
"Aida is a great work of art and belongs to the world. The whole student body is the looser here."
Conrad Young, of Bristol Against Censorship, told the student newspaper Tab: "Although MTB seemed to approach a sensitive topic with great humility and care, Aida was not to be.
Read more: LIVE: Bristol runner Ben Smith starts final marathon in 401 Challenge
"The affect that the fear of cultural appropriation has on modern campuses is a sad affair and in this case has damaged the student experience of the people involved and the prospective student audiences."
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A few Giros hanging out the White Actors Pockets ,Would cover the Ethiopian Angle
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Quite right to ban it. You can't have white actors playing Ethiopians. It's absurd.
It's as ridiculous as say, a black Nancy in Oliver, or prominent black characters in other Victorian British dramas. The BBC for one, would never do anything as daft.  |