THE PUBLICK PLEASURE

LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ
MUSIC OF FRANCE & ST DOMINGUE IN 18TH CENTURY PHILADELPHIA
NOVEMBER 24TH • 3PM

In the 1780’s and 90’s Philadelphia teemed with French boarding houses, French schools, French dancing masters, the French language, and French cuisine. French music was a regular part of public concert offerings. During the slave rebellion in St Domingue (colonial Haiti) Philadelphia was flooded with refugees (both colonists and enslaved & free persons of color), including musicians and dancers. In this concert The Publick Pleasure will explore the French footprint in Philadelphia, including original research and portions of a public concert performed in Philadelphia during the 1790’s by a “gens de couleur” (free person of color) who had been principal violinist in the colonial opera theaters of St Domingue. With music of Pleyel, P. Couperin, Davaux, Pelissier, Viotti, and the Chevalier de St. Georges.

Edmond Chan, violin

Brian Ming Chu, voice

Karen Dekker, violin

Margaret Humphrey, viola

Eve Miller, cello

John Walthausen, harpsichord