Opera Philadelphia - The Anonymous Lover
A stellar opera by an 18th century Black composer
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This comic opera is a rather lighthearted affair, consistent with the tastes of the times, concerning a love triangle, but one with a twist
The Hudson Review
A stellar opera by an 18th century Black composer
A stellar opera by an 18th century Black composer
Lontine is only young but is already a widow when she begins to receive love letters from an unknown person. As she grapples with her feelings and whether she'll ever be able to love someone again, she discovers that the letters are from her friend Valcour. A musing on the beauty of genuine love, witness this charming opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Bologne was an 18th-century Black composer who, despite counting among his peers the likes of Mozart and Haydn, has been historically missed out of the classical canon, ostensibly due to the color of his skin and the prejudices faced by Black composers across the centuries. This, his only surviving opera, is a testament to his skill and accomplishments, not to missed!