Completed in 1887, “Morgiane, ou Le sultan d’Ispahan,” by composer Edmond Dédé and librettist Louis Brunet received its world premiere at Washington, DC’s Lincoln Theatre on February 3, 2025. The production by Opera Lafayette in partnership with OperaCréole was presented in concert format on a stage crowded with a 49-piece orchestra, a 16-member chorus, and six principal characters .
The story concerns a bride named Amine kidnapped on her wedding day by a servant of the Sultan of Ispahan, Persia. Amine’s parents—Morgiane and Hagi Hassan—and new husband Ali then set out across the desert to rescue Amine from the Sultan. in the market place of Ispahan, they glimpse Amine in chains. At the palace, they hear her crying out for help. To gain access to the royal court, they disguise themselves as itinerant singers. The Sultan’s servant Beher becomes suspicious of the singers (he has seen them before) after the message of their song irritates the Sultan. An enraged Ali draws a sword, and Beher reveals who they are. The trio is arrested and thrown into the dungeon. However, Morgiane tells her despairing son-in-law and puzzled husband not to worry. She will reveal a secret that should resolve the situation.
They are brought before the Sultan who continues to tell Amine that he loves her and if she marries him, he will set her loved ones free. She says she would rather die than marry him. Morgiane then reveals that the Sultan is Amine’s biological father, and she (Morgiane) was his Sultana who ran away from his court with their child because he was cruel to her. She proves her relationship to the Sultan by showing him the diamond ring he gave her when Amine was born. The Sultan, shocked and shamed, asks only that Amine embrace him as her father. He then releases Morgiane, Hagi, and Ali.
This four-act comic opera offers lyrical music that pleases but doesn’t stick in memory. Nonetheless, Dédé dotted the work with some beautiful duets and trios. The performance of soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams stands out for her dramatic moments of intensity. Baritone Joshua Conyers as Hagi Hassan delivers a memorable performance when he hears that Amine is not his flesh and blood daughter. Tenor Chauncey Packer as Ali shines as he urges his bride to forgive her father. This reviewer was not impressed with Kenneth Kellogg, whom she has heard before. Kellogg as Le Sultan seemed to be suffering some vocal issues in his lower register, which sounded gravelly and strained. Soprano Nicole Cabell as Amine performed best when she was fending off the attention of the Sultan.
The chorus, unfortunately stationed behind the large orchestra, could not be understood. However, the English supertitles compensated for that. Costumes by Amy Amos, Givonna Joseph, and Aria Mason considerably brightened the production. Sorely missed was the dance interlude of Act II referred to in the pre-show discussion with OperaCréole’s Givonna Joseph. Music of Act II had some resonance with Bizet’s Carmen.
Morgiane, ou Le sultan d’Ispahan is the first full-length opera by a Black American composer. This production features an all-Black cast. Edmond Dédé (1827-1901)was a fourth generation free man of color whose family had originally come from Haiti and settled in New Orleans. The writing of Morgiane took place in France. Only one orchestral score has been discovered to date. For 18 months a team of engravers, historians, editors, and musicians worked on creating a score in modern notation. The work will continue to be edited over time. This reviewer found the concert production to be an entertaining and worthy addition to American opera history.
Karren LaLonde Alenier
With Mary Elizabeth Williams as Morgiane, Nicole Cabell as Amine (Morgiane’s daughter), Chauncey Packer as Ali (new husband to Amine), Joshua Conyers as Hagi Hassan (Amine’s adoptive father), Kenneth Kellogg as Le Sultan, Jonathan Woody as Beher (servant of the sultan)
Runtime: two hour forty-five minutes including one 25 minute intermission
Other performances: February 5, 2025, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, NYC & February 7, 2025, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, MD
In French with projected English surtitles
