It is believed that “Morgiane” is the oldest current Opera written by a black American – but despite its historical importance, the presentation was only presented to the masses for the first time in 2025.
“Morgiane” OPUS MAPUS MAPUS MAPUS MAPUS Magnum of New Orleans Edmund Didi. The opera tells, based on topics from “Ali Baba and the fortieth seven”, the story of the mother, Morjian, and her daughter, Amin, who fights the tyrant ruler. Behind the curtain is the wonderful Didi story.
Didi was born a free black man in New Orleans in 1827. He was educated and moved to France in 1855, leaving before the civil war. In France, he studied music in Paris Conservatory and Performance at Borde Grand Theater. He also traveled to Algeria, then a French colony, and was inspired by the people’s struggle there.
Didi returned to the United States once, during the peak of the Jim Crowe era. He was not allowed to perform in theaters, and returned to Europe, pledging that he would never return to his homeland.
Didi went to write 250 songs, ballet and cutter cut. The 545 -page “Morgiane”, which was completed in 1887, was Opus Magnum, but was not implemented during his life.
In 2014, the founders of New Orleans Guelona Joseph and Aria Mason found a digital version of “Morgiane”. Opera Criciol is involved in African composers, and when they found the piece, they knew that they needed to bring it to an audience.
Joseph said: “You knew how to happen, and a feeling that this is important,” Joseph said. “I didn’t know exactly how.”
Patrick Kogeli, the coach of Washington, was Oprah Lavaiite in the capital, keen to join the mission. He and Joseph were connected in 2023, and they started working with musicians and historians from all over the country to bring the opera that was never known. First, they copied approximately 6000 music measures to blogging a modern. When the operation was completed, they heard music that had not been played more than a century ago.
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“This wonderful mixture of many different methods of music, both Europeans and Americans together in one place,” said Kogeley.
Excerpts from “Morgiane” played at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans on January 24. The church was likely to be the baptism location of Didi. The entire opera was implemented in the Lavaite opera for the first time on February 3.
“It was an incredible moment for Washington, DC, and it was an incredible moment for American music,” said Kwigley, who performed.
There were also two other shows, one in New York City and one in College Park, Maryland. Joseph said that the short tour was a kind of return to the homeland.
She said, “I think he is the New Orleans champion.”
Editor’s note: The title of this story was corrected to reflect when “Morgiane” was completed.