Scott Joplin: The King of Ragtime Writes an Opera

Season Six debuts with a feature of Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime. Bridging the gap between the Reconstruction era and the early 20th century, Scott Joplin and his ragtime music became a genre-defining cultural phenomenon. In this episode, our co-hosts trace Joplin’s musical cultivation, which led him to position ragtime as an extension of the romantic stylings of classical music, as evidenced through the storyline and compositional makeup of his opera, Treemonisha.

Featured Music:
Houston Grand Opera Orchestra
Houston Grand Opera Chorus
MIDI re-creation from original piano scroll recorded by Scott Joplin

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