Long Beach Opera will host its first virtual Community Conversation of 2020, Equity & Diversity in the Arts, on Sunday at 4 p.m. on Facebook Live featuring performances and a roundtable discussion on racism in the industry.
A Community Conversation on the aforementioned topic had already been planned before the murder of George Floyd sparked protests across the nation, but LBO sent out a statement earlier this month on the even greater significance now in bringing such issues to light.
“Racism pervades every community and every industry, including opera and the arts. Long Beach Opera has made addressing these issues a priority and believes these conversations are a place to start in the fight against injustice. We want art to heal, but we also want art to be a catalyst for change.”
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The event will include a keynote speech by scholar Dr. Naomi André, whose research addresses issues on gender, voice and race, performances from some of today’s most influential talents including Solomon Howard, Julia Bullock and John Holiday, and an extended panel discussion from a diverse selection of artists and activists.
Tune in on Sunday, June 14 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. through LBO’s Facebook page here. An archived video will be made available after the live session. Additional Community Conversations on topics including Opera in the age of Social Media, and Opera and Body Image will take place on the following two Sundays, also at 4:00 PM.