What happens when audiences see an African American ballerina dance Clara in The Nutcracker or a Black opera singer sing Mimì in La bohème? How does the storytelling change when Black creators and artistic leaders are the ones making decisions behind the scenes? How can companies help to undo harm, create a more diverse pipeline of talent, and ultimately, enable the decolonization of art forms long-dominated by racism? Join Seattle Opera for a discussion on Black representation in the arts. The conversation will be led by Seattle Opera Scholar in Residence Naomi André, professor at the University of Michigan and author of Black Opera: History, Power, Engagement. Speakers include Theresa Ruth Howard, formerly of Dance Theatre of Harlem; founder and curator of the Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet, and Bridgette A. Wimberly (award-winning poet, playwright, and librettist of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird).
