TREEMONISHA
“Scott Joplin Opera Leaps Back to Life” (headline)
- The San Francisco Chronicle
An opera in three acts performed by
The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra & Singers.
Scott Joplin’s operatic masterpiece is an uplifting look at an African-American community’s emergence from slavery into the promise of freedom. Led by a mysterious young woman – Treemonisha – an isolated black community struggles to overcome superstition and violence to embrace a future of self-determination and enlightenment. As the only opera about the “Up from Slavery” experience created by an African-American composer who actually witnessed it, Treemonisha is a priceless cultural treasure. Scott Joplin’s hauntingly beautiful music – inspired by the “field hollers,” spirituals, fiddle tunes, revival hymns, and sensual African dances of his childhood – still speaks powerfully to the hearts of modern audiences. Since 2003 The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Singers has toured this acclaimed and historically correct production of Treemonisha, offered in fully-staged, semi-staged, and concert versions.
“Ragtime and opera joined hands and danced together in the most joyous fashion at Stern Grove on Sunday afternoon, with a vigorous and utterly charming performance of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha…the score, superbly led by conductor Rick Benjamin, is a resourceful marvel…. For this performance Benjamin…unveiled his new arrangement of Treemonisha for the 11-piece Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. That lithe, pungent blend of strings, woodwinds and brass…gave the performance a lively grace that helped fill the sunny meadow to perfection.”
- The San Francisco Chronicle
For information on how to bring Treemonisha to your theater, please call 570-524-9511,
or email info@paragonragtime.com
For downloadable publicity and press information, click here.
