The Metropolitan Opera Releases Statement Vowing to Do Better in Terms of Racial Equality

The Metropolitan Opera has released a statement, standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and addressing how they can do better moving forward.

"We must also seize this moment to look at ourselves, to listen, and to identify our own failings and determine how we can be a better artistic community that fights racism and serves all people," the statement reads.

The statement goes on to say, "We know that the 137-year history of the Met mirrors the racist history of the performing arts in this country. If an institution like the Met is to move forward and make positive change, it must acknowledge the mistakes of the past. Moreover, we must recognize that those mistakes have not been wholly corrected."

The company vows to continue its commitment to not using makeup to modify skin color, and to ensure that its hiring practices support diversity.

Read the full statement here.