Historic Operatic Event to take place in the Vieux Carre:
Cabildo debuts at the Cabildo during 2009 French Quarter Festival
On April 18, Music @ Madewood will present the Louisiana premiere of the opera Cabildo, written in 1932 by America’s first female opera composer, Amy Beach. This unique performance will take place in the courtyard of the historic Cabildo, the setting for the action of the opera, as part of the French Quarter Festival. Beach, a Bostonian who composed in all areas of the classical music genre, was also known as a skilled performer, both in America and Europe – a New England version of New Orleans’ Louis Moreau Gottschalk.
For inspiration, Beach turned to a friend in the South who had written a short story about the pirate Pierre Lafitte, brother of the notorious Jean Lafitte, and the vision of a beautiful lady who appeared to him while he was incarcerated in a cell in the courtyard of the Cabildo, then used as a prison. The Lady Valerie convinces Pierre to escape and fight in the Battle of New Orleans, and Pierre becomes a hero.
For musical material for the hour-long opera, Beach drew on Creole folksongs, military marches and vernacular ditties of the day, and art songs of the period, identifying each character by a particular type of music appropriate to his or h er role. The music evokes the spirit of the original surroundings and dramatizes the history of the era, all while interweaving the type of fantasy love story for which operas are noted
This production was first performed by Opera Vista of Houston at Bayou Bend in 2007, and the cast will be led by Viswa Subbaraman, its artistic director, who has served as Assistant Conductor of the Orchestre National de France, where he assisted Kurt Masur and visiting guest conductors who have included such distinguished artists as Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Muti, and Sir Colin Davis.
Cabildo has been presented by the series Live from Lincoln Center, featuring Louisiana tenor Paul Groves, and most recently was performed at the University of New Hampshire as part of an Amy Beach festival and colloquium.
Music @ Madewood, which presents a spring opera festival at National Historic Landmark Madewood Plantation House in Napoleonville, is sponsoring this performance, which begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, as part of French Quarter Festival. Admission is free, with tickets available at the entrance to the Cabildo from 9 to 5 on April 18. Information about Music @ Madewood is available at www.madewood.com
In addition, the Louisiana Museum Foundation is presenting a gala preview performance of Cabildo as part of its spring gala, at which New Orleans Opera Association General and Artistic Director Robert Lyall will be honored. Tic kets for this event, Thursday evening, April 16, include cocktails in the Cabildo and a seated dinner at Muriel’s. Tickets from the Museum Foundation’s office, 558-0493 (www.thelmf.org).
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For special events our rooms book quickly. Here is a list of Bed and Breakfast
locations within an easy drive from Madewood.
Cajun Cabins Bed & Breakfast
Highway 70, Belle Rose, LA 70341, Dennis Landry 985-252-8700 CajunCabinsOnline.com
La Belle Riviere B & B
1023 Belle River Rd, Pierre Part, LA 70339, Carol Aucoin 985-252-9436 LaBelleRiviereBAndB.com
Le Dock Sur Le Bayou
LeDock.com
149 South Bay Rd., Pierre Part, LA 70339
ledock@cox.net --337-233-6682 0r 225-266-0799
The Inn @ Seventy & One
6161 Hwy. 1 S, Belle Rose, LA 70341, Jamelia "Jimmie" Dugas
jimmie@seventyandone.com 985-369-7020 SeventyAndOne.com
The Best Western Plantation Inn,
2179 Hwy. 70, Donaldsonville, La. 70346, 225-746-9050
Bittersweet Bed & Breakfast
404Claiborne St., Donaldsonville, La. 70346, 225-473-1232
Cabahanosse Bed & Breakfast,
602 Railroad Ave, Donaldsonville, La. 70346, 225-474-5050 Or 225-717-1069 www.Cabahanosse.com
The Victorian on the Avenue,
117 Railroad Ave, Donaldsonville, La. 70346 225-473-1876 or 225-647-0455
George House Bed & Breakfast
Dennis & Denny Soignier, 317 St. Mary St., Thibodaux , LA 70301 --985-446-3029 www.bbonline.com/la/georgehouse
Jewel's Bed & Breakfast
Jewel Durocher, 1241 Hwy 20, Thibodaux, LA 70301 -- 985-633-2562
La Famille Martin Bed & Breakfast
Frances T. Martin , 164 Wilson Street, Raceland, LA 70394 --985-537-5494
A Chateau on the Bayou Bed & Breakfast
Claudette Pitre, 3158 Hwy 308, Raceland, LA 70394---985-537-6773
Frank & Joyce Naquin, 1146 West Camellia Dr., Thibodaux, LA 70301 --985-446-6977 --www.geocities.com/naquinsbb
Oak Alley Plantation & Restaurant
Zeb Mayhew, 3645 Hwy 18, Vacherie, LA 70090 --1-800-442-5539 www.OakAlleyPlantation.com
Ramada Inn
Cindy Landeche, 400 East First Street , Thibodaux, LA 70301 --985-446-0561
Robichaux House Bed & Breakfast
Malcolm Hodnett, 322 East Second Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301 --985-447-4738
The "Lafourche" Bayouside Cabins
Cherie LeCompte, 955 Bayou Road, Thibodaux, LA 70301 --985-223-1190
Brunet House B & B
Christine Brunet, 120 Bobcat Lane, Thibodaux, LA 70301 --985 448 0921
