Lauren Snouffer, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Elijah McCormack, Chelsea Helm, Maya Kherani, James Reese Headline Opera Lafayette’s 2025-26 Season

Opera Lafayette has announced its 2025-26 season. First up is “Dido and Aeneas” starring Mary Elizabeth Williams, Elijah McCormack, and Chelsea Helm. Patrick Quigley conducts the Opera Lafayette Orchestra. Performance Dates: Oct. 16, 2025 (Washington DC), Oct. 20, 2025 (NYC) Then comes “Queen of Hearts,” a Valentine’s Day revel. Nic McGegan leads the concert, which features Maya Kherani and James Reese. {…}

Q & A: Soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams on Edmond Dédé’s Opera ‘Morgiane’

(Photo Courtesy of Mary Elizabeth Williams.) Opera Lafayette and OperaCréole present “RE|STORE: Edmond Dédé’s ‘Morgiane’” in four cities across the U.S. including New Orleans, Washington, DC, New York City, and College Park, MD. The preview of this never-performed, long-lost masterpiece took place at the historical St. Louis Cathedral, where Dédé was baptized, featuring The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra playing modern instruments {…}

OperaCréole & Opera Lafayette Debut the Earliest Extant Complete Opera by a Black American

OperaCréole and Opera Lafayette present Edmond Dédé’s the never-performed work “Morgiane.” Only recently discovered, “Morgiane” is believed to be the earliest extant complete opera by a Black American. The world premiere is presented in a concert version by Mary Elizabeth Williams, Kenneth Kellogg, Chauncey Packer, Joshua Conyers, Jonathan Woody, along with members of Opera Creole chorus. The Opera Lafayette Orchestra performs {…}

Opera Lafayette Announces 204-25 Season

Opera Lafayette announces its 30th anniversary season. Soprano Amel Brahim-Djelloul performs in the Ensemble Amedyez and and Kalanidhi Dance in the opening event, “RE|CLAIM.” Performance Dates: October 21, 22, & 24, 2024 “RE | STORE” events are centered around Edmond Dédé’s “Morgiane.” The cast features sopranos Mary Elizabeth Williams and Lindsey Reynolds, tenor Chauncey Packer, baritone Joshua Conyers, bass-baritone Jonathan {…}

Q & A: Opera Lafayette’s Ryan Brown & Patrick Quigley on Leading Company & Making the Transition to a New Future

Nearly thirty years ago, Ryan Brown created Opera Lafayette (OL), an organization dedicated to exploring baroque opera and its history via implementing period-instruments. But after being at the helm of the company and shepherding its growth into one of the major torchbearers for early opera performance tradition around the world, he’s decided to step away in 2025. In his place {…}