For general questions about accessibility, ask Cathy Gordon at [email protected], Emily Maxwell at [email protected], or Nathan Sartore at [email protected].
Originally written by Scott Joplin (c. 1911), Treemonisha is one of the few pieces set soon after the abolition of slavery, written by a survivor of that era.
Fusing European classical music with the sounds of ragtime, folk, and gospel to create a thrilling and distinct sound, and introducing a young woman protagonist chosen by her community to lead, Joplin’s nearly-lost opera was far ahead of its time.
Working from the surviving vocal score and featuring the first all-Black orchestral ensemble in Canadian opera history, the new arrangements and orchestrations by Jessie Montgomery (Sphinx Medal of Excellence and ASCAP Leonard Bernstein award winner) and Jannina Norpoth (Grammy nominee) merge musical vocabularies, reflecting the major themes of the reimagined version: split identity – African and American – and the role of one’s ancestors in coming to terms with the realities of a new land.
Led by a predominantly Black female creative team from across North America, Joplin’s ground-breaking opera has been reimagined with a new story and libretto by playwright and broadcaster Leah-Simone Bowen (The Secret Life of Canada), working with Emmy-nominated co-librettist Cheryl L. Davis. Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha is conducted by the first Black woman conductor in Canadian opera history, Panamanian-American Kalena Bovell, and directed by award-winning, internationally acclaimed Canadian stage director Weyni Mengesha.
This reimagined version tells a revolutionary story of a young Black woman who, in discovering the truth of her past, and overcoming enormous personal loss, discovers her power to unify a divided people, and lead her community towards a new future.
Please refer to Luminato Festival’s COVID-19 policy HERE.
The Bluma Appel Theatre is one of two theatres in St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, located at the corner of Front Street East and Scott Street.
Upon arrival at 27 Front St. W, you will enter the theatre through the glass doors under the "St. Lawrence Center for the Arts" sign. Once inside the single set of doors, the box office will be on your right side and the entry to the theatre on your left side.
Bluma Venue Guide - Luminato.pdf
Tuesday, June 6 - 2 PM (preview) Wednesday, June 7 - 8 PM (preview) Thursday, June 8 - 8 PM (preview) Saturday, June 10 - 8 PM (opening*) Sunday, June 11 - 4 PM (ASL interpreted performance) Wednesday, June 14 - 8 PM Thursday, June 15 - 8 PM Friday, June 16 - 8 PM Saturday, June 17 - 8 PM (Audio Described performance)
*Black Carpet Celebration. This event will celebrate the Black community’s contributions to the arts along with Black culture in general. Everyone is welcome.
Dress code for Black Carpet Celebration: Black and Gold. On this night black and gold speaks to the dark richness of our ancestors and soil imbued with our blood, sweat, and tears. We rise from the darkness—shimmering with gold. The gold represents the beauty we have created, the community we have fostered, and the power we possess as a people.
From Union Station (8 minute walk)
Image Description: A map showing the path that is described below from Union Station to the Bluma Appel Theatre with a blue dotted line marking the walking path, indicating that it is an eight-minute walk.