Opera and the Social Hierarchy in the Eighteenth-Century French Caribbean
Loading...
Date
2022-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Theatrical performance in the French colonies was intimately tied to the social and racial hierarchy that the colonial authorities established and maintained through both violent and cultural means. The economy and society of the French Caribbean colonies relied on the acceptance of a hierarchy based on the moral and intellectual superiority of Europeans, and the French used culture to establish and defend this system. This thesis reviews the available sources about opera and theater in the French Caribbean colonies, focusing especially on the colony of Saint-Domingue, to assess the social role of the arts in supporting the colonial hierarchy. Though many records of theater operations were lost in the Haitian revolution, announcements of performances printed in newspapers allow us to glean details about musicians, including musicians of color. These announcements reveal both opportunities for professional advancement and vulnerability to abuse. Examining opera in the French colonies helps us understand the connections between opera and politics and adds a different dimension to our understanding of French operatic traditions. For those who have been taught to admire these traditions as they were practiced in Europe, seeing the art form in the light of the colonies changes our perspective on why they were and are respected.