Organization

Admin

Opera Lafayette

OperaCréole

Bass (+3)

Joshua Conyers

Hassan

Kenneth Kellogg

Kouraschah

Soprano

Mary Elizabeth Williams

Morgiane

Tenor (+3)

Chauncey Packer

Bass-baritone (+4)

Jonathan Woody

Beher

Soprano (+1)

Nicole Cabell

Amine

Orchestra

Opera Lafayette Orchestra

Lincoln Center

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Lincoln Theatre

Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis

Taylor J White

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

The most important opera never heard.
The first complete opera by a Black American has been hidden in a single, handwritten manuscript for over 130 years. Experience the world-premiere concert performance of this four-act French grand opera on themes from 
Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves.

This project is a collaboration undertaken by the two foremost companies in the United States with respective expertise in historical Black and French opera: OperaCréole and Opera Lafayette.

About the Production
Did you know that the first complete opera by a Black American has been hidden in a single manuscript for over 130 years? Edmond Dédé, a fourth-generation free person of color born in 1827 New Orleans, had an incredibly successful career as a conductor and composer in Bordeaux, France, writing nearly 100 critically and popularly acclaimed works for the French stage. His magnum opus, however—a four act French grand opera on themes from Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves—had yet to receive a premiere at the time of his death, and languished, unrecognized, in private collections and libraries for over a century. 

Opera Lafayette, with Artistic Director Designate Patrick Quigley, and in partnership with New Orleans’ Givonna Joseph, Founder of OperaCréole, has painstakingly transcribed this monumental work and will present the long overdue world premiere of Dédé’s masterpiece, 138 years after its composition.

Mary Elizabeth Williams, soprano*
Kenneth Kellogg, bass*
Chauncey Packer, tenor*
Joshua Conyers, baritone
Jonathan Woody, bass-baritone
 *OL debut

Photos