Hope all is well. I thought this might be of interest for you to cover in your blog, or just to tune in and hear for yourself. Here at WGBH we are really excited to be broadcasting Scott Joplin’s little-known and even less-heard opera Treemonisha in its entirety–over a three day period–on 89.7 FM in New England, streaming worldwide at http://wgbh.org/classical It all kicks off on Monday morning (2/26). All the details are…well…detailed below. I’ve also got some great pictures from the Houston Grand Opera’s 1975 production, just email me and I’ll be happy to share. If you know anyone who might be interested in this, please spread the word. Thanks for keeping the classical music and opera scenes vibrant!
All the best–
Edgar
WGBH 89.7 to Broadcast Rare Performance of Scott Joplin’s ‘Treemonisha’, February 26-28
WGBH 89.7 FM will present legendary ragtime composer Scott Joplin’s only opera, Treemonisha, in three acts, Monday, February 26 through Wednesday, February 28 at 9am on Classics in the Morning with Cathy Fuller. The rarely-performed opera was recorded in 1975 by the Houston Grand Opera, with arrangements, orchestration and conducting by Boston’s world-renowned conductor Gunther Schuller. In addition to the local broadcast, Treemonisha will stream live worldwide at wgbh.org/listen.
Described by one critic as “where ragtime and opera join hands and dance together,” Treemonisha combines European opera, African American dance forms and turn-of-the-century American popular idioms. The piece, which airs as part of WGBH 89.7’s celebration of African American History Month, tells the story of a young black woman living on a plantation in 1884 who realizes that education is the road to her people’s salvation.
“Treemonisha is absolutely stunning,” says Cathy Fuller. “Joplin uniquely wrote the most illuminating and significant events of his life directly into the opera, and the result is quite affecting. I’m very much looking forward to sharing it.”
I may check this out (I’ll have to put it on my calendar so I don’t forget!). I didn’t know that Joplin wrote an opera.
If they send me pictures to post here I could do that too. Time will tell.
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