OperaCréole

About Us

Opera and classical music in New Orleans and around the world have always included the contributions of persons of color. Since the 19th century, Creoles of New Orleans have made contributions to the city's music and culture. It is their participation in opera, as well as the music of Africa, Spain, and Haiti, that contributed to the birth of jazz.

Our award-winning nonprofit, founded in 2011 by the mother-and-daughter team of Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason, is dedicated to researching and performing lost or rarely performed works by composers of African descent. The company focuses on works by free 19th-century New Orleanian composers of color, and also on promoting Louisiana's Creole language and culture.