Black Opera

Six years ago, America’s most prestigious opera company–the Met in New York–finally stopped using blackface makeup in performances of Verdi’s Otello. But musicologist Naomi Andre believes there are plenty of black singers who could fill that role in the future, they just need to be trained. Andre is a professor at the University of Michigan and the Seattle Opera's first scholar in residence with a focus on diversity and inclusion. She's also the author of “Black Opera: History, Power, Engagement.” (Originally aired Apr 23, 2020). (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)