KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — People are speaking out on social media after a performance of the Knoxville Opera's Madame Butterfly. Pictures taken show actors wearing makeup resembling people of Asian decent. That's drawing plenty of criticism, but some believe it is just a representation of art.
This is a topic local theater experts H. Caitlin Corbitt and Tom Parkhill add must be a cause for conversation in today's world.
"It's something I think all art groups struggle with these days," Parkhill said. He is the artistic director for the Tennessee Stage Company. Corbitt is and associate producer.
From a historical perspective, she believes it is important to look at the history of the arts as a whole to better understand where we've been so we know where to go in the future.
"Some of the greatest art that we pay the most homage to is timeless because it was written a long time ago and the casting and the practices when it was written are not the casting and the practices that would happen today," she said.
Corbitt notes casting can be extremely difficult, and when companies or groups face controversy -- people view it in different ways.
"There are people who can look at a representation of their culture and appreciate the homage that was attempted to be paid," she said. "There are also people who are going to be upset because this homage paid to their culture was not fitting to their experience."
However, they both stress the importance of representation in all spaces, including the arts.
"This time that we live in now asks and demands of us equality and representation across the board in every aspect," Corbitt adds.
And while the conversation can sometimes be difficult, Corbitt and Parkhill believe sharing different perspectives with people from all backgrounds is vital nonetheless.
"In Knoxville, it can be hard but not impossible," Corbitt said.
We reached out to the Knoxville Opera for comment. They acknowledged they know about the complaints and are bringing it up to their board of directors, but did not have a response. As of tonight -- it appears the group's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have all been taken down.