Home / Arts and Entertainment / Beyond Ragtime: Joplin's 'Treemonisha' Hits the Stage
Beyond Ragtime: Joplin's 'Treemonisha' Hits the Stage
20 Mar
Summary
- Scott Joplin's opera 'Treemonisha' finally reaches the stage decades later.
- The opera focuses on education versus superstition in late 19th-century Arkansas.
- WNO's production overcame significant obstacles for its performance.
Scott Joplin, renowned for his ragtime compositions like "The Entertainer," also penned the semi-autobiographical opera "Treemonisha" in the early 20th century. The opera's journey to production was notably lengthy, with the Washington National Opera (WNO) recently staging a performance.
The narrative unfolds in late 19th-century Arkansas, focusing on Treemonisha, an educated young woman who confronts the "conjurers" exploiting the uneducated with superstitions. Treemonisha's enlightened approach triumphs over ignorance and deceit, albeit with a didactic tone.
While the overture offers an innovative wordless narrative and the first act features a compelling mass and captivating lyricism, the second act faced criticism. Reviewers found Treemonisha's kidnapping and subsequent election as leader to be abrupt, with a repetitive emphasis on education.
Despite narrative critiques, the production garnered appreciation due to the significant challenges overcome. The WNO successfully mounted "Treemonisha" at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium after initial cancellations at the Kennedy Center, creating an electric atmosphere at the performance.
