Advertisement for the "A Bayou Legend," a three-act opera composed by William Grant Still with a libretto by Verna Arvey, with photos of three scenes in the opera. William Grant Still was an American composer, who composed more than 150 works, including five symphonies and eight operas. [Wikipedia] Verna Arvey was an American librettist, pianist and writer who is best known for her musical collaborations with her husband William Grant Still, a musician and composer. Photo caption: Written by Mississippi-born William Grant Still with a libretto by Verna Arvey, "A Bayou Legend" is a three-act opera which has been produced for the Public Broadcasting Service by Mississippi Center for Educational Television and Opera/South. [..] "A Bayou Legend" is based on an authentic folk legend of the occult and is set in the 19th century bayou country of south Mississippi. In the picture at upper left, the loyal Leonce, portrayed by Peter Lightfoot, second from right, joins a village party. The villagers are played by Mississippi students who are members of Mississippi's Opera/South chorus. In the background is the scheming Clothilde, played by Raeschelle Potter. At upper right, Clothilde plots to deceive Bazile, portrayed by Gary Burgess, into marrying her. In the lower right hand photo are the village non-conformists--the three "blades"--portrayed by, left to right, Francois Clemmons, Ben Holt and Irwin Reese.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b21_f12_006.tif ark:/21198/z1tx4zkc
Subject
African American composers Opera Librettists Still, William Grant, 1895-1978 Still, Verna Arvey, 1910-1987
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