Treemonisha

City Opera will present an abridged concert version of the groundbreaking opera by famed African-American composer and father of ragtime, Scott Joplin. The opera tells the story of a young, educated freed slave named Treemonisha who leads a campaign to educate her community, rather than accept the societal superstitions placed upon it. The score encompasses a wide range of musical styles including ragtime, folk music, spirituals, and call-and-response. Though never fully staged during Joplin’s life, Treemonisha was rediscovered in 1972 when it received its world premiere and has since been performed on Broadway and at opera houses across the country.