Treemonisha tells the tale of the adopted daughter of former slaves Monisha (NaGuanda Nobles) and Ned (Lloyd Reshard, Jr.). The baby, found by the two under a tree, was named Treemonisha.
Scott Joplin was a seminal figure in early American jazz music, a pianist rightly hailed as the “King of Ragtime.” His rollicking composition “Maple Leaf Rag” brought him instant fame as the 20th century dawned — followed by seminal works like “The Entertainer,” “Cleopha” and “The Ragtime Dance.” But it was opera that became Joplin’s passion as his career progressed. He composed and self-published Treemonisha in 1911, but it wasn’t fully staged until 1972.
Joplin never saw a full production of it in his lifetime, but Orlandoans can see it brought to vivid life at the Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater over four performances this weekend.
Starring in the Florida premiere of Treemonisha is Taylor-Alexis Dupont, as the lead soprano and titular character of the opera.
“The main thing I really love about it is that even though this work was made in 1911, it is amazing that Joplin has a woman as the title character and as a leader,” Dupont tells Orlando Weekly.
Dupont finds that there is unique fun to be had in adapting a ragtime opera in today’s climate.
“I think a lot of modern operas in the 21st century tend to have a darker edge,” Dupont says. “I am beyond happy to be a part of an opera made by a man born in 1868 who had parents directly coming from the end of one of the biggest traumas this nation has seen, and making an opera, not about the trauma, but about joy, about community, about uplifting.”
The underlying messages of Treemonisha are befitting of its operatic presentation. “The main thing I’ve always loved about opera is the amazing ability to tell a story in all the forms of art,” says Dupont. “It’s a story on a scale that it requires so much work, but it takes a community it takes everyone coming together with different visions, and then everybody not compromising, but building and supporting each other to make a story that can talk to people, even when it’s in different language, it can communicate to you. It can transform you.”
Ragtime music, a piano-led style of early jazz, is beloved for its upbeat, frenetic and ragged rhythms. Dupont finds that this style of jazz — where Joplin made his legendary name — blended into the storytelling style of opera, allows for transparent communication of emotions between the characters.
“There’s one scene I really love where an amazing confession is made about her origins, and it’s really simple, but it’s just like a line of saying, ‘I love you like a mother and I love you as a father.’ It’s simple but it sparks joy,” Dupont says.
Ahead of rehearsals with the rest of the Treemonisha cast, Dupont had the time to thoroughly connect with her character and her character’s voice.
“I guess because there are so many different styles of music in it, it always keeps me on my toes. Like, ‘Does this feel more like this? Is it OK to sing it like that?’ So moments that make me ponder, question her character,” Dupont says. “Treemonisha is such a core pillar of the community in the opera, she kind of just nurtures from afar, but she’s so integral to the community.”
Dupont is a young mezzo-soprano from Orlando, whose interests have always drawn her to the stage, namely musical theater. Things changed when Dupont joined a competitive performing arts program at Dr. Phillips High School.
“My mom got me lessons with this man, Manny Lujan, who was a voice teacher in the Orlando area. He helped me get my little role that I wanted in high school, but he also saw something in me that I didn’t,” Dupont says. “He was like, ‘You have a very operatic voice,’ which I had never thought about, never even dreamed about, especially in Orlando, which didn’t have much opera that I was exposed to at that time. But he gave me some CDs by Denyce Graves and the rest took off.”
“I really love music, any type of music, all music. It lifts me. It gives me energy. It transforms me and brings me memories that I have music. Music is what gets me up, keeps me going,” Dupont says.
Joplin’s message of community in Treemonisha is an inspiration to those well past his lifetime, in this 21st-century world. Joplin’s unique musical voice still motivates and has meaning for today’s talents like Dupont.
“Look out for each other. I think especially now in this day and age, community is everything and building that tribe that will support you, whether that’s teachers, friends, other music nerds and enthusiasts, and maintaining that community, uplifting each other, I think that’s one of the best [pieces of] advice,” says Dupont. “I mean, people can say, keep driving, keep doing this, but the main thing is to keep hold of yourself and keep uplifting yourself.”
At the time of publication, Sunday’s shows are now sold out. But tickets are still available for the other days.
Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, FL
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This article appears in May 14-20, 2025.