What do we do when “the classics”—those canonical treasures that embody the rich traditions of our genres—start to feel outdated for today’s audiences, or even at odds with our missions?

In today’s episode, we take a close look at celebrated works from the classical Western canon that include harmful portrayals of non-Western cultures, and hear how one artist is taking action to prune and preserve the art he loves.

Artist and advocate Phil Chan shares how performing arts organizations can approach works from the classical Western canon with enhanced cultural sensitivity and authenticity. He offers tips and real-world examples for updating outdated representations of non-Western cultures while maintaining the integrity of these works.

LINKS:

Final Bow for Yellowface

Gold Standard Arts Foundation

Boston Lyric Opera | The Butterfly Process

Dance Magazine | Indiana University Removes Offensive Caricatures in New Productions of The Nutcracker and La Bayadère