Engaging with Orientalist Opera in the Twenty-first Century

Since the Black Lives Matter (2020) and Stop Asian Hate (2021-22) protests, there has been a
greater consciousness about issues of race. Yet UK opera companies are struggling to adapt.
The attempt of the Royal Opera House (ROH) to 'fix' their existing Madama Butterfly in
autumn 2022, for example, has again been found to be culturally insensitive (BEATS 2022).
In my doctoral project, I aim to investigate the disconnect between academic scholarship -
which often decries operatic Orientalism, critiquing stereotypes and seeking more reparative
readings - and British opera performance, in which Orientalism is rarely challenged. Using
three groups of research questions, concerning industry, audience, and academia, I will
establish why attempts to bridge this gap have been ineffective, and explore ways of moving
forward. Historically, opera has always reflected - and in so doing perpetuated - desires and
anxieties surrounding the racial 'Other'. The treatment and reception of these operas serves as
a barometer of how race, especially in relation to gender and sexuality, is perceived. Now, at a
time when there is greater awareness around issues of race and representation and an appetite
to make changes, opera has become more accessible than ever, thanks to social media and
screening platforms. The controversy generated by recent productions of Orientalist operas
reveals a desire for the companies that stage these operas to engage more critically with their
subject matter, to reflect upon and change how Orientalist opera is handled at a systemic level.
My research will offer avenues on how to approach this.