Congressman Cohen Announces $10,000 Award for Opera Memphis

“While in the Tennessee Senate, I fought for funding for Opera Memphis and I’m very pleased now to announce this NEA grant,” said Congressman Cohen. “Opera Memphis makes a great contribution to our arts community. As a long time arts advocate, both in the Tennessee Senate and now in Washington, I absolutely believe that arts are vital to our society and to the education of our children. A thriving fine arts world enriches the lives of the community in so many ways, some immeasurable. I look forward to seeing what [Artistic and General Director] Michael Ching and his associates have in store for this new production and I am grateful that the NEA concurs and has made this award to Opera Memphis.”

Set in Texarkana, Arkansas after the Civil War, “Treemonisha” is the tale of a young African-American girl who rejects the superstitions ingrained in her community, in which education was forbidden by the masters. The new adaptation, “Scott Joplin and Treemonisha” will include additional scenes and musical elements in an effort to make “Treemonisha” more approachable to a wider audience. The new production directed by Ellen Schlaefer will take the audience on a journey of the struggles Joplin faced in trying to get his opera produced in the early 20th century when ragtime was giving way to jazz and an opera by a African-American man was not taken seriously.

This production has already received an Enhancement Grant award from Arts Memphis and will have partnerships with Rhodes College and the Greater Memphis Music Teachers Association, and the NEA is matching it. These federal matching funds help support projects that involve the creation and presentation of artistically excellent work – both new and established. Grants from the NEA generate, on average, seven dollars from non-federal sources for each dollar awarded.

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265