Opening the Performing Arts Serving Acadiana (PASA) 2024/2025 season, OperaCréole was held on Sept. 28, 2024 at the Ducrest-Gilfry Auditorium in Angelle Hall. It was presented by PASA and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Concert Series. 

This performance was funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Division of the Arts. 

The following ensemble artists performed at OperaCréole: Taylor J. White on soprano, Joshua Staes on baritone, Valencia Pleasant and Givonna Joseph on mezzo-soprano and Dr. Wilfred Delphin on the piano. 

An award-winning crowd favorite, OperaCréole performs their works in New Orleans – which they call home, as well as across the U.S. and in Europe. 

OperaCréole revives lost operas and rarely performed works by free 19th century New Orleanians composers of color. 

The performance on Sept. 28 included opera scenes, arias and Créole folksongs by Lucien Lambert, Edmond Dédé and Camille Nickerson. 

The performance opened up with a presentation on the historical context of the Créole and Cajun culture in Louisiana. 

History sharings were also presented consistently throughout the show in between scenes to provide context to the storyline of the songs that they were about to perform. 

These informative sharings reminded the audience of the origins of the Créole culture that has become such an essential part of Louisiana’s culture. For audience members who grew up in Louisiana, this reminder of their heritage deeply resonated with them. 

Audience member Caleb Dixon is a junior majoring in music media. He said, “I’m taking my first Cajun and Creole history class, and I’ve learned a lot about our history so far, and I also learnt that I am Créole as well.” 

Dixon added, “Being able to see fellow African Americans that are Créole on stage in their fine clothing and just perform their heritage and opening up with that, also learning about it currently, it was really special to me.” 

A song performed was “Le Spahi” composed by Lucien-Leon Guillaume Lambert in 1897. The first scene “Arrêtez-vous, admirez” was performed by the entire ensemble. 

This scene portrayed merchants, women griots and the French Regiment in a Senegalese market. The ensemble members held props while depicting the merchants selling a variety of items at a market and they captivated the audience through their vivid storytelling. 

Another song was “Chérres Mo Lemme Toi” composed by Camille Nickerson in 1942. This was also performed by the entire ensemble, and it was the closing song that ended the performance on a high note. Besides just performing the song, the ensemble also got the audience to sing along. 

When asked what she thought was her favorite part of the show, audience member Lawanda Lamar-Bellamy said, “It’s where we all sang together, the audience participation, I thought it was a really cute song.” Many audience members also shared a similar sentiment that “Chérres Mo Lemme Toi” was one of the songs that they enjoyed most owing to the audience participation. 

As a whole, OperaCréole is a culturally and artistically significant event that is sure to have left an impact on those who were present. 

Shawn Roy is the Director of Opera and Musical Theatre at UL Lafayette’s School of Music and Performing Arts. When asked about the significance of OperaCréole and other musical events like it, he said, “This particular event was so unique and having professional opera singers at the university was very good for our students, especially in the vocal area. Similar for the rest of the series. There is something for everyone.” 

Indeed, events like OperaCréole are an opportunity for students in the School of Music and Performing Arts to witness artists perform first-hand, providing a rich learning experience for their studies. Besides students, such musical events are also an opportunity for anyone who has a fond appreciation of music and the Créole culture. 

Staes, who sang baritone, said, “OperaCréole provides an outlet to showcase works that aren’t necessarily done often and they shed light on artists of color.” 

OperaCréole was founded in 2011 by the mother-daughter team of Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason, dedicated to researching and performing lost or rarely presented works by composers of African descent.