Kykunkor, or the Witch Woman

The article by Maureen Needham discussed a subject rarely talked about in today’s American society; that of the origins of African opera in America. However, this is not surprising based on the type of segregation black artists experienced.

The article discusses various differences between the African styles used in the opera and the European or white standards of the time. However, what I find interesting is that during the opera’s (titled Kykunkor) way to the top, critics refused to accept that it was an opera. Many of them branded it as a ‘ritual drama’, despite Austin Dafora, who was trained in Italy, categorically calling his work an “opera”.

Nonetheless, it was up lifting to learn that Dafora’s efforts were not in vain. This happened when the piece got positive reviews from John Martin in the New York Times. Much as this paved the way for black artist to be taken more seriously in the arts industry, it also showed how much the white audience belittled the black works without even know what they were all about.

Anthony

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