Cast of the Toronto Light Opera Association production of

Cast of the Toronto Light Opera Association production of "The Mikado" in 1947

"The Mikado" is a 1885 comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. The story takes place in Japan. It's a setting the authors used as a way to mask its criticism of British politics. Casting of this production has long been controversial. Many directors have made the choice not to cast Asian actors. They hire white singers and put them in yellow face instead. "The Mikado" comes to Atlanta this weekend in a production by The Capitol City Opera. 

We speak with Rick Shiomi, the co-artistic Director of Full Circle Theater Company, and ethnomusicologist Nilanjana Bhattacharjya about diversity in opera casting. 

We reached out to Capitol City Opera about their casting policies. Here is what Artistic Director Michael Nutter said: 

"I was very adamant about not doing yellowface. So they're all like in their normal special gowns or tuxedos. And then we morphed the principles into their characters which are British face with a Japanese flair. So the women's dresses have Obis but they're British looking."

Tags: Yellowface  The Mikado  Opera  Atlanta  Georgia