Harris Theatre presents a lost ,and now found treasure: Treemonisha

It seems like these days we have a lot to thank Canadians for, and last weekend it was the Volcano production of Scott Joplin’s nearly lost feminist opera Treemonisha, on stage at Harris Theater for one weekend only: a project heavily funded by the Canadian government and premiered in Toronto in association with the Canadian Opera Company, Soulpepper Theatre and Moveable Beast.  Officially titled Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha- a Musical Reimagining, librettists Leah-Simone Bowen and Cheryl L. Davis along with director Weyni Mengesha have created a stunning work that all should witness. 

Set in Texarkana right after slavery has ended, it is a female hero's journey to find herself and to become the leader of both sides of her family:  she is an orphaned “Maroon” taken in and raised by “Freedmen”.   Maroons are escaped slaves who went into hidden areas and developed a culture more closely related to their African heritage, whereas Freedmen assimilated into white culture and gained freedom through legal and economic means. There is apparently a conflict between mind and nature. 

Joplin’s original score is used, adding two additional pieces of his and some traditional folk songs: Jesse Montgomery and Jannina Norpoth have delivered a score that holds well together while taking us on a journey through African American musical culture and breathing life and depth into Joplin’s work.  When this opera was written in 1911, the world was not ready for his vision of an African American opera. It would not be mounted post-humously until 1972.  It was 1935 that the first African American opera was performed and it took a white man (George Gershwin) to get it to stage with Porgy and Bess, which also deals with a specific cultural community: the Gullah.   This opera speaks to more modern concerns: the conflict between matriarchy and patriarchy, respect for the land and “old ways”, the need for marginalized people to work together. 

The cast was outstanding: Neema Bichersteth as Treemonisha is a thrilling soprano who is able to carry the narrative of a young woman trying to define her identity.  The brilliant SATE as Nana the matriarch of the Maroons made the opera grounded and expansive. Bass-Baritone Marvin Lowe as Parson Alltalk created a nuanced character who was a bastion of the patriarchy but open to pastoral change. Cedric Berry was a sexy Zodzerick with a silver voice. 

The exquisite costumes by Nadine Grant and ingenious set by Camellia Koo gave us context and a visual feast. Jeri Lynne Johnson was a strong conductor of the on stage orchestra.

This opera has so many layers and brings big ideas to the stage such as Treemonisha’s trying to figure out who she is and who her mother was, while confronting the conflict between old and new ways. We arrive at an ending that indicates female leadership will bring peace. If only our country could hear that message! One must ask:why have none of us seen this opera before?  It is rich with questions about the nature of our humanity and is a tour of so many musical styles while still holding together as a whole, like a colorful quilt. I truly hope I can witness additional productions of this amazing opera, and I hope that Harris continues to bring us diamonds like this.  For more information on this show go to https://www.volcano.ca/treemonisha.  To see what's next in the gorgeous line up at Harris Theatre go to https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/

Treemonisha was performed May 2 through 4th, 2025 at the Harris Theater in Chicago  in Millenium Park.

Photo by Kyle Flubacker

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