August 12, 2026: Belonging: Asian Perspectives in Opera

“Belonging: Asian Perspectives in Opera” series tackles the experiences of over thirty Asian artists, creatives, and musicians currently in the field through intimate and, sometimes, vulnerable interviews that explore the discovery of their instrument to ways that they are transforming what used to be solely a Western European tradition.

In Episode 2: “Calling In,” we are introduced to personal testimonies of implicit biases encountered where, as David Henry Hwang observes, white singers still remain the default. From casting directors seeking blondes to instructions on how to smile without appearing “too Asian,” our cast lays bare the emotional labor required simply to exist on the classical stage.

In contrast, Episode 4: “Visibility” explores their profound moments of genuine visibility: performing in one’s mother tongue, staging all-South Asian productions, telling one’s own family’s story through the operatic form, or simply excelling in a standard production. From An American Dream to An American Soldier, from La Scala to the Grammys, these are the stories that bring belonging home.

Far from being a grievance narrative, the audience of “Belonging” become privy to the active dismantling of barriers, the reclaiming of confidence, and the redefining of the art form as our Asian cast affirms their love of opera. At its core, the series asks the audience: who gets to own a shared cultural inheritance, and what does it cost those who must fight for that right?