[Betty Allen (Photo from TheaterMania.com); Scott Joplin's Treemonisha; Polygram 435709 (1992)]
NYTimes.com
September 29, 2010
By Felicia R. Lee
“The New York City Opera and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture have announced a third season of collaboration in 2011, with two programs to celebrate the African-American experience in the world of opera.
“City Opera will showcase the career of the mezzo-soprano Betty Allen with film and sound clips and live musical selections in A Tribute to Betty Allen on Feb. 28. Ms. Allen, who died last year, was African-American and helped break down racial barriers in opera. She made her City Opera debut as Queenie in 'Show Boat' in 1954 and from 1973 to 1975, her roles at City Opera included Mistress Quickly in 'Falstaff,' Jocasta in 'Oedipus Rex,' and Eurycleia in 'Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria.' She sang internationally at major opera companies and concert halls and was executive director and later president of the Harlem School of the Arts.
“On June 6, City Opera will present an abridged concert version of 'Treemonisha,' the groundbreaking opera by the composer Scott Joplin about a young, intelligent black woman who helps educate her superstitious Arkansas community. Written in the early 20th century, the opera was not performed in its entirety until 1972.” “Performances will be held at the Schomburg Center at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, at 135th Street.”
The Scott Joplin (1868-1917) page at AfriClassical.com explains Treemonisha was first staged in January, 1972 in a concert performance. It was staged in Atlanta, Georgia by the Afro-American Music Workshop of Morehouse College and the Atlanta Symphony under Robert Shaw, conductor.
New York TimesNew York City Opera
Schomburg Center
Betty Allen
Scott Joplin
Third Season
No comments:
Post a Comment