First African-American opera premieres after 138 years

First African-American opera premieres after 138 years

A long-lost opera from the Black Creole composer Edmond Dédé had its world premiere this year in New Orleans, including a series of performances in Louisiana, Washington, and New York.“Morgiane,” a tale of political resistance set in Persia, is the oldest extant opera by a Black American. Its score had been lost since the late 19th century, when Dédé composed the work while living in France amid rising tensions in his native United States.“Edmon…