“Paragon Ragtime Orchestra & Singers have just finished recording Scott Joplin's 1911 masterpiece 'Treemonisha'”

[Rick Benjamin's Paragon Ragtime Orchestra]

Rick Benjamin's Paragon Ragtime Orchestra sends us this release:

Special News Bulletin!

The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra & Singers

have just finished recording

Scott Joplin's 1911 masterpiece

“Treemonisha”

(An Opera in Three Acts)

An Authentic Recreation of the Work.

For a special Centennial 2-CD album with book!

Featuring soloists from the

Metropolitan & New York City Opera Companies

Produced by multi-Grammy winning

“Classical Producer of the Year”

Judith Sherman

A Project 18 Years in the Making -

To Be Released This Coming Fall

Visit http://www.paragonragtime.com

for further information

[Scott Joplin was a Ragtime and Classical

composer and pianist of African descent

who is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Memphis Commercial Appeal: “Take a peek at Scott Joplin opera 'Treemonisha'” Jan. 8

[Scott Joplin's Treemonisha; Original Cast Recording; Polygram 435709 (1992)]

News in the arts 

Take a peek at Scott Joplin opera 'Treemonisha'

By Christopher Blank, Memphis Commercial Appeal

Saturday, January 3, 2009 

Fans of ragtime composer Scott Joplin can get the inside scoop on his legendary opera "Treemonisha," when Opera Memphis hosts a preview party Thursday night. Completed in 1910, Joplin's opera about a young woman overcoming the superstitions of her community disappeared until 1970, when it was produced for the first time.

The preview party anticipates the company's own premiere production at the end of the month. Thursday's preview, at the Clark Opera Memphis Center, will include highlights from the opera sung by the cast. Their performances will also be broadcast live on WKNO-TV Channel 10. A reception with hors d'oeuvres begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Show at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5. Call 257-3100 [Scott Joplin is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Interview Scott Joplin after premiere of his opera 'Treemonisha'

[Joplin: Piano Rags; Roy Eaton, piano; Sony SBK 833 (1995)]

Holmdel Music
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Homework due Monday, Oct. 13

Choose one of the following:
• Design a t-shirt to be sold at the debut concert of The Entertainer.
• You are a writer for Rolling Stone magazine assigned to interview Scott Joplin after the premier of his opera Treemonisha. What questions would you ask him? Write at least five developed questions with detailed answers. Present your magazine article as creatively as possible, using photos, websites, facts, and examples.
• Listen to Sidewalk Blues by Jelly Roll Morton. How is this style of music different from the music of Scott Joplin? What similarities do you hear? Do you think one inspired the other? Discuss in a well-developed essay.
• Read some poems written by Black Americans during the 1920’s. Describe how the poems are like the music.