Black History Month Day 2 ~ Treemonisha

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:33pm

The next musical [of the season] was something of a curiosity, and something of a marvel. Scott Joplin had written his ragtime opera, Treemonisha in 1907 but was never able to see it beyond a run-through. In the intervening years his orchestrations were lost … [until] … Gunther Schuler … recreate[d] an approximation of Joplin’s intentions [in the 1970s]. It began as a production of Houston Grand Opera … and later toured briefly before reaching Broadway (Palace Theater, 21 October 1975).

…

A fine cast of black singing actors brought Joplin’s simple story irresistibly to life. A childless couple, Ned (Willard White), and Monisha (Betty Allen and Lorna Myers, alternating), find a baby under a tree, and so name it Treemonisha (Carmen Bathrop or Kathleen Battle). They persuade white people to educate her. The opera begins when Treemonisha is eighteen. A voodoo conjurer, Zodzetrick (Ben Harney), abducts her to stop her from enlightening her neighbors. A friend, Remus (Curtis Rayam), disguised as a scarecrow, leads her rescuers. Once free, she forgives her kidnapper, and her neighbors elect her to lead them.

Excellent as the production and performance were, Joplin’s superb melodic gifts outshone them. Moving from the touching Pathos of Monisha’s “I Want to See My Child” to a quartet of cotton-pickers’ “We Will Rest Awhile” to the exuberant dancing numbers, they gave Broadway its most rewarding score of the season.

…

The show … played eight weeks.

(abridged from Gerald Bordman’s American Musical Theatre (Oxford University Press, 2001))

New York City Opera will present a concert version of Treemonisha in June.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:38pm

I remember seeing this on Broadway years ago around the time of the Scott Joplin craze

[Kavana]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:50pm

I've never heard of this show. Just watched a clip of it.
Nice and thanks for you contribution.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:53pm

Thanks. This is a very cool idea, and i hope it continues throughout the month!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 2:01pm

It did indeed play Broadway for 65 performances in 1975

It played at the Uris for about 1 month & than moved to the Palace. I saw it at the Uris.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 8:45pm

Not a fan.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 8:51pm

We'll alert the media!

:)

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 8:51pm

I sang in a performance of Treemonisha a few years ago.


NY Times Review

[tazber]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 9:42pm

Joplin is one of my main inspirations as a musician. I love Treemonisha.

I also really love this thread.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 9:44pm

Me, too, Taz!