The resignation of Afton Battle from Forth Worth Opera is sending shock waves throughout the operatic community. Battle was one of few Black women to hold the position of general and artistic director, and her departure mid-season raises important questions about the state of the industry.
On December 21, the Black Administrators of Opera published an open letter to Battle celebrating her accomplishments. We at CS Music encourage our readers to read the letter in the link here, as we agree that “Art is not apolitical, nor is it a tool to solely entertain without the awareness and consciousness of its creators and audiences. Art has always played a role in reflecting the people, present in the works of many beloved opera composers who addressed issues of their time. They were not silent then, and we are not silent now.”
This is especially relevant in light of the news that the Metropolitan Opera will tap into its endowment while at the same time increasing its new works productions. Anecdotally, nearly ever singer I know speaks of returning to the stage, or, in the earlier stages of the pandemic, porches, public parks, and other non-traditional outdoor improvisatory performance venues, to be greeted following performances by audience members who expressed deep gratitude for those live performances, especially of music that is reflective of their current lives. Singers have spoken about our audiences being hungry, craving the talent and gifts that we as singers provide, a balm for a weary and troubled world.
Singers, educators, and artistic administrators are all responsible for the state of our industry, for good or ill. We present the truths of our world and hopes for a better one through our artistry, our creativity, and our collective imaginations. We wish Battle the best in her next adventure, we thank her for feeding the audiences of Fort Worth with incredible music and art, and we appreciate the opportunities she created for singers in the Fort Worth community and beyond.
