Treemonisha

Sometimes the greatest hope springs out of the deepest tragedy.

Embark on a life-affirming journey of love and creativity in Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha, re-imagined with a new prologue and epilogue by composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton.

As Joplin celebrates his wedding to his new bride, Freddie Alexander, he is inspired to write a masterpiece — with Freddie as his muse. His heroine will be called Treemonisha, and she will lead her community into a bright and bountiful future of education, opportunity and prosperity.

Although Treemonisha was published in 1911, Joplin never lived to see a fully realized stage production; however, the legacy of his artistry only continued to grow through his final years and following his death. In 1976, Joplin posthumously received the Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music.

Presented by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, this new edition of Treemonisha celebrates the strength, beauty and wisdom of Black women and brings back to light a forgotten figure of history — Freddie Alexander Joplin.