Over the weekend, a number of opera companies, orchestras, concert halls , and guilds used their social media accounts to take a stand and support the #BlackLivesMatter movement amid ongoing nationwide protests after the the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers.

On Sunday May 31, the Lyric Opera of Chicago stated, “We stand in support of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility and all those who search for it. Lyric is a proud member of Enrich Chicago—an arts-led movement to undo racism.”

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We stand in support of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility and all those who search for it. Lyric is a proud member of Enrich Chicago—an arts-led movement to undo racism. Learn more and see how you can lend your support at enrichchi.org.

A post shared by Lyric Opera of Chicago (@lyricopera) on May 31, 2020 at 6:16pm PDT

Meanwhile, the Maryland Lyric Opera posted that “we are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and justice. We are committed to celebrating life, beauty, and all lives in this world. We welcome artists and audiences of all backgrounds, all ethnicities, all orientations and world-views. What we do not welcome and what we passionately denounce is racism and bigotry of any kind. It is detestable and it stands against everything we believe in and cherish as an organization.”

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These are tragic days, made even more tragic and devastating still by the events of this week. Our hearts are broken by the senseless murder of George Floyd and by the deaths of so many other Black lives. At MDLO, we are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and justice. We are committed to celebrating life, beauty, and all lives in this world. We welcome artists and audiences of all backgrounds, all ethnicities, all orientations and world-views. What we do not welcome and what we passionately denounce is racism and bigotry of any kind. It is detestable and it stands against everything we believe in and cherish as an organization. To our Black friends, artists, musicians, staffers, and colleagues: we stand firmly in solidarity with you today and in each day to come. #BlackLivesMatter #SayTheirNames #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd

A post shared by Maryland Lyric Opera (@marylandlyricopera) on May 31, 2020 at 5:47pm PDT

The LA Philharmonic also lent its voice stating “From Marian Anderson on the Steps of the Lincoln Memorial to Nina Simone’s blister anthems against oppression, musicians have shone a light on injustice in America. The LA Phil stands agains racism and inequity. We stand for inclusion. We stand for compassion.”

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— LA Phil (@LAPhil) June 1, 2020

The NY Philharmonic reposted Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill’s moving musical tribute stating, “The New York Philharmonic fully supports our Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill’s moving statement and video in response to the ongoing violence committed against communities of color. We post this in outrage and sadness over what has occurred in Minnesota and beyond, and for what has been a part of this nation’s history. We post this in solidarity to remind ourselves that America can and should be better than this. We cannot remain silent.”

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The New York Philharmonic fully supports our Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill’s moving statement and video in response to the ongoing violence committed against communities of color. We post this in outrage and sadness over what has occurred in Minnesota and beyond, and for what has been a part of this nation’s history. We post this in solidarity to remind ourselves that America can and should be better than this. We cannot remain silent. #TakeTwoKnees #BlackLivesMatter #Repost @mcgillclarinet with @make_repost ・・・ This “normal” isn’t new. It’s just easier to see what’s going on now that some of the horrific hate crimes that happen every day make the national news. Complacency is rampant, and hiding behind privilege is obviously just as bad. If there were hashtag movements in the last century during America’s ‘good old days’ one could easily have been #BlackLivesDefinitelyDontMatter. Few would have batted an eye. What the news this week and most weeks of my life demonstrates is that Black lives didn’t matter in our glorified past, and still don’t matter that much today. Flashback to when a football player attempted to protest the murder of black people. People said ‘Let’s not politicize sports,’ and ‘all lives matter.’ Now add to that list, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, two men who clearly didn’t deserve their fates. Now we don’t have sports to distract us, and we are mostly at home. Now’s the time to protest. Can we say #HowAboutNow? Or #ICareAboutBlackLives. If that’s considered radical then we’ll have really shined a light on the problem. Let’s try and #TakeTwoKnees in the struggle for justice and decency. It only takes a couple of seconds to film yourself taking two knees. Let’s try to put a spotlight on this evil. #howaboutnow? #icareaboutblacklives #TakeTwoKnees #loveoverhate

A post shared by New York Philharmonic (@nyphilharmonic) on May 31, 2020 at 11:41am PDT

Carnegie Hall also took a stand writing, “Carnegie Hall stands in solidarity with all who seek to eradicate racism, violence, and injustice, and we salute those using their platform to inspire change.”

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“All good causes may find here a platform.” —Andrew Carnegie at the laying of Carnegie Hall’s cornerstone, 1890. Carnegie Hall stands in solidarity with all who seek to eradicate racism, violence, and injustice, and we salute those using their platform to inspire change. On Tuesday, June 2, the Hall joins colleagues in the music world in observing “Blackout Tuesday,” calling attention to the fight against racial discrimination and inequality. #BlackLivesMatter #TheShowMustBePaused

A post shared by Carnegie Hall (@carnegiehall) on May 31, 2020 at 5:13pm PDT

The American Guild of Musical Artists also voiced support for the movement noting that the organization is made up of diverse artists who “put beauty into the world by coming together in union to create tremendous works of opera, dance, and song.”

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A statement from AGMA. #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by AGMA (@musicalartistsunion) on May 31, 2020 at 8:15pm PDT

The Philadelphia Orchestra also voiced its support stating “We mourn and we stand in solidarity with our community and with Black musicians, board members, staff, patrons, and partners of The Philadelphia Orchestra.”

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A post shared by The Philadelphia Orchestra (@philorch) on May 31, 2020 at 3:31pm PDT

Update: The Metropolitan Opera stated, “There is no place for racism in the arts. There is no place for racism in New York City. There is no place for racism in this country or in the world. The Met stands with those raising their voices in support of justice and equality.

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There is no place for racism in the arts. There is no place for racism in New York City. There is no place for racism in this country or in the world. The Met stands with those raising their voices in support of justice and equality. In memory of George Floyd, 1974–2020 #BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd

A post shared by The Metropolitan Opera (@metopera) on Jun 1, 2020 at 10:48am PDT

 

Meanwhile the Long Beach Opera noted, “we believe that arts organizations and artists can and should create art that exposes the brutalities and inequities within our society. We also believe that sometimes we must make a concerted effort to make space and listen to the voices of those that are experiencing suffering and oppression. We must always strive to become better warriors of justice and understanding in the fight for change. We turn to art in times of struggle to connect with our communal humanity.”

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At Long Beach Opera, we believe that arts organizations and artists can and should create art that exposes the brutalities and inequities within our society. We also believe that sometimes we must make a concerted effort to make space and listen to the voices of those that are experiencing suffering and oppression. We must always strive to become better warriors of justice and understanding in the fight for change.  We turn to art in times of struggle to connect with our communal humanity. For the next 4 days, we will exclusively post Black artists and performers on all our social media channels. Further, we pledge to work harder and with more determination to expose inequities and to work to repair them within our own organization and within our industry. – Jennifer Rivera, Executive Director & CEO. *Our Artists Afternoons programming will proceed as planned, and each artist will address the current situation in their own way.

A post shared by Long Beach Opera (@longbeachopera) on Jun 1, 2020 at 10:06am PDT

The LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, the Dallas Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Opera Omaha, Opera Theatre od Saint Louis, Bard Center, and Berkshire Festival have released statements.

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As a community of believers in the healing powers of art, we have committed our life’s work to exploring and understanding our shared humanity. We acknowledge the longstanding pain and frustration felt by so many, especially those in our Black communities. We stand with them in sorrow and solidarity, opposed to prejudice, violence, devastation, and inequality. We commit anew to self-examination and to devoting the time, attention and resources necessary to do our part to heal wounds that are hundreds of years old.

A post shared by LA Opera (@laopera) on Jun 1, 2020 at 11:49am PDT

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— Berkshire Opera Fest (@BerkshireOpera) June 1, 2020

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Opera Philadelphia mourns with the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the countless named and unnamed victims of systemic racism and violence. We stand with others against racial injustice, senseless violence, and oppression. We also understand that these statements of solidarity are empty without action. Classical music and opera companies continue to struggle with diversity, equity, and inclusion on our stages and in our administrations. We can and must give voice to the traditionally voiceless on our stage. Meaningful change begins with awareness. We must now develop and implement a plan for sustained and effective action. #BlackLivesMatter

A post shared by Opera Philadelphia (@operaphila) on Jun 1, 2020 at 1:19pm PDT

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Opera sings with empathy, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Houston Grand Opera reaffirms its long-standing commitment to these qualities and we stand against racism, violence, and intolerance.

A post shared by Houston Grand Opera (@hougrandopera) on Jun 1, 2020 at 12:39pm PDT

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As we mourn the losses of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, Seattle Opera stands in solidarity with our Black artists, audience members, staff, donors, subscribers, and community. . We are committed to justice for Black Americans, and for all People of Color, and will continue to prioritize our own anti-racism work and growth, amplify the work of Black opera artists and creatives, and through dialogue and listening, create change for a more diverse and inclusive opera/classical music industry, and make amends where we have caused harm. . It is our goal to create a future where Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color are an integral part of the creation of operas on and off stage. . . #blacklivesmatter #georgefloyd #ahmaudarbery #breonnataylor

A post shared by SEATTLE OPERA (@seattleopera) on Jun 1, 2020 at 2:20pm PDT

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A post shared by Opera Omaha (@operaomaha) on Jun 1, 2020 at 3:00pm PDT

The staff of the Fisher Center at Bard, and the wider community of Bard College, stand in solidarity with Black Americans and those who oppose injustice. Read our full statement at https://t.co/iYqFQEjqWk#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/AcX8z6MExP

— Fisher Center at Bard (@fisherctrbard) June 1, 2020

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We have delayed posting until now because we wanted to take the time to create an honest statement that represents the whole of The Dallas Opera’s commitment to doing more to bring about change. • Racism seeks to divide us. While we have made strides to become more inclusive, The Dallas Opera has not done all that we can. More is possible. We will be relentless in helping to bring about true change. • Black lives matter. Black voices matter. Voices in unison are powerful. Voices in harmony are beautiful. The Dallas Opera stands, walks, and fights with you.

A post shared by The Dallas Opera (@thedallasopera) on Jun 2, 2020 at 8:00am PDT

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We stand in solidarity with those who raise their voices in support of justice and unequivocally oppose prejudice, hate and intolerance. We grieve the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and the countless named and unnamed victims of violence and systemic racism. • Justice and art-making are woven deeply together. Art exists to lift up your stories, ignite new creative expression and reveal our shared humanity. We commit to listen, learn and then devote the resources necessary to do our part to heal these wounds. We will work in solidarity with our Black colleagues and artists so that, when we are together again, your voices are heard at Des Moines Metro Opera. • #BlackLivesMatter

A post shared by Des Moines Metro Opera (@desmoinesmetroopera) on Jun 2, 2020 at 7:50am PDT