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Press conference this morning for @operadeparis' new diversity report (written by Constance Rivière & Pap Ndiaye). Rivière says it involved interviewing 90 people & reviewing books, academic work, internal documents. 1/n
Ndiaye starts with dance: "diversity isn't very present" at @BalletOParis' school. They looked at why so few non-white children apply. Says there is "a lack of role models" (both for ballet & opera). 2/n
Ndiaye notes that existing outreach programs @operadeparis aim to foster interest in dance/opera instead of training professionals. 3/n
Ndiaye suggests the administration is slightly more diverse than the artists, but Rivière adds that the board, donors, management team, etc. remain very white (I paraphrase). 4/n
Rivière: says there are stereotypes in the 18th/19th-century repertoire & says the Paris Opera's repertoire is much more limited in scope than it could be. "There could be more contemporary works." 5/n
Ndiaye talks about the "ballet blanc" (white acts). Says their quest for uniformity among the corps de ballet raises questions, that non white dancers were often told as children that they wouldn't be able to dance them. 6/n
On blackface/yellowface ( @philschan): they looked at La Bayadère, Raymonda, Petrouchka & on the opera side: Othello, Madama Butterfly, Turandot, Aida. 7/n
The report's recommendations: A- Wholesale reform of the application/admittance process at @BalletOParis's school, over a few years. The school needs to actively seek out more diverse talent instead of waiting for them to apply. 8/n
B- A lot of work to be done also on the opera side, with local French conservatories. Rivière says diversity is "almost non existent" within the orchestra. Advocates for greater diversity in programming as well. 9/n
C- A no blackface/yellowface rule. "Poor artistic solution" that can be replaced by plenty of other, more creative choices. 10/n
On @BalletOParis' school, in addition to seeking out talent everywhere (including in overseas) French territories, Ndiaye mentions that the school should also rethink its existing physical criteria. 11/n
D- (no real list/order for the recommendations after all, but just organizing what I'm hearing) No censorship of works, but "necessary changes". More dialogue & more context for audience members where necessary. 12/n
E- Appointing a diversity officer for @operadeparis & training for workers. And a suggestion for the ministry @MinistereCC: actually monitoring diversity in the performing arts (which isn't the case currently). 13/n
Alexander Neef now talking about the report's implementation. Says @operadeparis will endeavour to identify forgotten figures from the repertoire & create an advisory scientific commitee for diversity, among other measures. 14/n
First question is about... whether or not the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel as music director is happening. 15/n
Neef asked about his recent Le Monde quote about the ballet repertoire, which started a national debate. "We have no intention of removing [ballets like Nutcracker, Bayadère, etc. from the repertoire], we want to contextualise them" 16/n
Rivière says there is huge tension in the debate around the skin color of artists vs. the characters, and suggests that it's the only instance where realism is demanded. Mentions Bridgerton @NetflixFR as an example of doing things differently 17/n
. @e_bouchez asks whether Neef believes @operadeparis is late compared to North American companies. Neef with a very diplomatic answer (in a context where "American ideas" are blamed for new antiracist demands in France): "I'd say we are exactly where we should be." 18/n
Neef says there is no specific time frame for implementing all of the recommendations - there will be immediate action but he sees it as a long-term process. The goal is institutional "culture change." 19/n
Question about diversity quotas. Neef says he doesn't believe quotas are the answer here, the goal is to find & nurture talent. 20/n
That's it for this press conference. Now to read the actual report... 21/n
Reading the report now and Theresa Ruth Howard ( @MoBBallet) & @DutchNatBallet's Positioning Ballet conferences get mentions early on. Yes!
One notable point in @operadeparis' diversity report: Rivière & Ndiaye advise that a Black character (the example is Othello) shouldn't necessarily be played by a Black artist, that the only criteria should be the artist's "individual qualities."
. @philschan, Georgina Pazcoguin & their Final Bow for Yellowface campaign also get a mention to explain how Chinese dances could be altered to no longer be offensive.
A key recommendation in the report which is going to please many ballet aficionados & scholars: Ndiaye & @Constance_Riv recommend "commissioning more works that uphold the ballet vocabulary." YES. (We've only been saying this for years.)
A far more complex suggestion in the report, given @BalletOParis' concours system: "reaching out to high-level non-white artists in France and abroad to hire them into the corps de ballet. A few people a year over five years would be a strong signal... and create role models"
