Audio Samples of Opera “Opu Jaja” by Nigerian Composer Adam Fiberesima

[Highlights from the Nigerian Opera Opu-jaja; Decca LP]

In a post on March 18, 2008, the blog With Comb and Razor discusses an LP recording of the opera
“Opu Jaja” by the late Nigerian composer Dr. Adam Dagogo Fiberesima. The London Symphonia performs with the chorus of the English Chorale singing in the Ijaw language. Martyn Ford is the conductor. The post, which provides two audio samples of the recording, is excerpted below:

“And now for my next number, I'd like to return to the classics...

After writing about Martha Ulaeto yesterday and how her career was jumpstarted by an appearance in Adam Fiberesima's Opu Jaja, it occurred to me to dig out my old copy of (highlights from) the opera to see if I could spot her on it.

Of course, that proved a futile pursuit for one whose ear for the nuances of operatic sopranos is as tin-plated as mine, but I figured I'd post a little bit about the opera, since I've never blogged about Nigerian art music (though I have for some time thought about a post on "serious music" composers like Ekundayo Phillips, Fela Sowande, Ayo Bankole, Akin Euba, Samuel Akpabot, Joshua Uzoigwe, Lazarus Ekwueme and Okechukwu Ndubuisi).

But for now we're talking about Adam Dagogo Fiberesima. I'll go ahead and paste in the bio from the back of the LP:

Adam Fiberesima is one of the few gifted Composers of our time. Born in Okrika, in the Rivers State of Nigeria in the year 1926, he developed his musical interest when his father gave him lessons on the piano. He proved himself by giving surprises to his father's friends who thought there was something unusual about his musical gift.”

Overture

Act II Scene

Full Post [Samuel Akpabot, Akin Euba and Fela Sowande are profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Adam Fiberesima
Nigerian Opera
Opu Jaja
Samuel Akpabot
Audio Sample
Nigerian Composer