“Boston Lyric Opera is … adding its voice to national discussions on equity and diversity through a new three-part conversation series entitled ‘We Need to Listen,’ ” writes Jeremy Eichler in Thursday’s (10/29) Boston Globe. “Its host [is] public media anchor Celeste Headlee. Q: What is your goal with the new series? Headlee: The idea has been to create discussions that are not just listening sessions … and then change nothing. We want discussions centered around finding practical, actionable solutions, and an environment in which people can voice hard truths without others feeling defensive. Q: … You come to [the subject of diversifying the repertoire] with a unique vantage point since your grandfather was William Grant Still…. Headlee: … The reason we know the name Copland better than we know the name Still is because Still was the Black one. Obviously I’m biased, but … he’s not performed more than he is because of his color. Q: How would you reply to the orchestra or opera executive who says they share your goals but that without their crowd-pleasers … they would simply go bankrupt? Headlee: These are business models that make people comfortable with exclusion—and they’re always difficult to let go of.”
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