Talk by David Bateman and Ashok Mathur

Description:

Following David Bateman’s performance, Lotus Blossom Special: Metamorphosis and Misidentification in Madama Butterfly at Western Front, an artist talk and question and answer session was held with Ashok Mathur as moderator. 

Bateman and Mathur acknowledged the troubled background of Madama Butterfly as an opera and debated at large the racial/racist representations specifically found in musical forms. They attempted to situate Bateman’s metacritique and interventions within operatic traditions while working with his own subject position. This led to an open discussion about responsibility in theatrical performance. 

This event was co-produced with Centre A and Vancouver Opera’s Views of Japan program.  

Video documentation is available upon request.