Ok, now I do not want to take the focus from #BlackLivesMattters or any of the activism required to dismantle what aides and abets a system of privilege but I do have to touch on Madama Buttefly by Puccini and the extensive use of Yellowface makeup in this role.

However b4 I discuss Butterfly I do want to acknowledge that I have LEGIT written about this particular opera SEvERAL times so you can go to my blog and look it up- http://www.fairyprincessdiaries.com  but in truth- I am going to tweet it now because I am just...tired

Madame Butterfly is not a documentary- that must be said. It is an opera and in 18th and 19th century opera, what made your opera- if you were writing one- stand apart was an exotic locale. Thus we first start to see heavy base ‘paint’ in opera singers- cuz ‘foreign settings’

Butterfly the Opera was based on a secondhand account by a novelist’s sister, who had been a missionary in Japan. So it never was a first hand account. There was ANOTHeR Butterfly story but that’s not Puccini’s libretto base.

This story was never supposed to be taken as a documentary because it is an opera, and opera is big voices, giant sets, and elaborate music. The first opera, Eurydice is where it began and it goes on from there. Foreign local in that case- the underworld. Jacopo Peri; composer

So by 1904 when Butterfly premiered, most of the myths and tales had been done to death- which is why Puccini chose Buttefly, based on the short story by John Luther Long, based on his sister’s memories of being in Japan.

Puccini’s style is considered by some to be ‘too much’, it is not for the lighter voiced singers - but should be noted that between 1915-1920 it was a hit for the Japanese singer, Tamaki Miura as Cio Cio San.

So I like to think that once Ms Miura came along, many other singers saw her in the role, and they laid off it. However when an opera reaches a certain point- it becomes ubiquitous and is, in my opinion- overprogrammed. The reason in this case is the music is glorious.

As the majority of Opera singers are still, to this day, Caucasian, and in many cases also European or Russian etc, the chance of getting to see an Asian singer in the role of Butterfly is- not NONE- but it is slim, because of course she needs a big voice.

Some have posited to me that Opera needs to lower their standards- that is ridiculous for many reasons but the first is- the singers will not do it. The would not embarrass themselves and potentially ruin their voices with roles they should not sing simply cuz you say so.

Now it has come to my attention that @PrincetonOpera was in fact, doing quite a racist Butterfly- in that they were using heavy makeup on their Butterfly because they all think we are stupid.

Because yellowface makeup on white faces fools no one.

NO ONE.

IF you are going to do a Butterfly or an Aida and you do not have the ‘right’ singer for the role- you must do it in modern dress without painting oneself. Painting has been banned from many major opera houses and there is no point in ‘teaching’ it- unless you are horribly racist

If you like, we can get into Fachs and all when casting Puccini and I will go down the rabbit hole with you- but the simple truth is- PAINTING yourself or your singers- is wrong. You let down the composer when you do it, because it is distracting. Horribly distracting.

I would rather watch a story about a shitty guy who has an affair and walks out on his mistress and the kid- she assumes they are married- in modern dress and sung well and NO PAINT because ostensibly I am there for the glorious music.

UNLESS I AM NOT?

If you are only attending opera because you like the spectacle aka horror of bad wigs, musty robes, and bad ‘paint’- honestly- GTFU of the opera house and I am sincere on that.

It takes ENORMOUS skill and sacrifice to be a Top Tier Opera singer- it is a good 10-15-20 years of study. It is competitions, it is studying with the right coaches and teachers, endless auditions and for a singer to finally get there and then degrade their art with PAINT?

Nope

So while this is a thread in support of the people who threw down with @PrincetonOpera - this is a plea from a classical voice major- do NOT, oh singers, let down your voice by practicing inexplicable racism with your Art. You are enough. You don’t need it. Also- U LOOK AWFUL!

Really I am appealing to all Opera Singers and their well deserved Vanity- painting your face another race, makes you look ugly even if you sound glorious. It is not the way of the future, it is a F**KING mess to watch, & I am ashamed & embarrassed for you. You betray La Musica.

Opera Houses and Conductors who insist on Paint- be you a smaller or regional house- doesn’t matter - we will find you and put you for putting racial practice on the stage that are unworthy of the music and, you will LOSE.

Your audiences & ur ticket sales.

We r not playing now.

Also note- that in Japan, there is a Puccini Butterfly Competiton every year, and that the world reknown Yoko Watanabe, famous for her Butterfly, sadly passed of cancer in 2004 at age 51- so it is not that I am saying there are no large voices of Asian heritage- there are.

In fact, larger voices take longer to develop and a top tier Puccini Soprano is hard to come by - in any ethnic group- however when you consider that for example, if there were 100 Singers in the World, equally divided by Gender- 40 would be Caucasian, 6 Black, 2 Latinx & 2 Asian

Well you can see the problem- everyone wants to perform the role. There is a limited number of absolutely right performers for the role, so they go for the sound- which is fine- but they lose it on the costumes, makeup, & gestures.

People are not stupid- they can imagine the world of Butterfly, without needing Yellowface makeup.

And if you truly love the music- you do the opera in SERVICE TO the music.

Anything else is racist trash and should be accepted as such.

If Opera plans to stay relevant then Young Artist Training Programs need to become Color Concious when accepting applicants and those ‘in the know’ should be actively looking for the next Black Otello, Aida, Asian Butterflies etc- look NOW- it takes a while- look NOW