The Historic New Orleans Collection and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will once again present their annual free concert on the musical history of Louisiana. The 14th installment of Musical Louisiana: America’s Cultural Heritage, entitled “Vienna, Leipzig, and New Orleans,” explores the impact of German composers and immigrants on the music of New Orleans, from opera to ragtime.
A concert featuring:
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Mary Sue Morrow, narrator
Casey Candebat, tenor
Dr. Valerie Francis, soprano
Ivan Griffin, bass-baritone
Loriane Llorca, organ
Eric McCrary, tenor
David Murray, baritone
Dara Rahming, soprano
Ken Weber, bass-baritone
New Orleans Black Chorale
German music was well established in Louisiana during the early 19th century. Audiences could enjoy the German repertoire at a wide variety of theaters such as the famed Orleans Theater and venues focusing exclusively on German productions, like the National Theater. With the pronounced rise in German immigration in the 1840s, numerous singing societies were formed to promote the love of the German vocal tradition. The strength of the local singing societies was so strong that in 1890 New Orleans hosted the 26 the Sängerfest of the North American Singers’ Union, which featured more than 2,000 performers.
The famed Leipzig Conservatory had a particularly strong impact on American music. Composer Scott Joplin benefited from instruction by graduates of the conservatory. In New Orleans, German music publishers, such as Grunewald and Werlein, dominated the industry.
Under the direction of Carlos Miguel Prieto, the LPO will perform a carefully curated program highlighting the impact of the German tradition in New Orleans musical history.
This program is sponsored by the Nancy F. Link Foundation with additional support provided by The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Valentino Hotels.