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 ZABETTE
is a three-act American opera with music by Curtis Bryant and libretto
by Mary R. Bullard. ZABETTE premiered in April 1999 in Atlanta’s
historic Rialto Theater. It was produced by Georgia State
University School of Music under the artistic direction of W. Dwight
Coleman. Additional support was provided by the Southeastern
Archeological Center, National Park Service.ZABETTE is loosely based on a true story that took place during the mid-nineteenth century on Georgia’s Cumberland Island. Robert Stafford, a white cotton planter, fell in love with his neighbor’s ward and illegitimate granddaughter, a young woman of color named Zabette Bernardey, whom he employed as a plantation nurse. Though never married, they had six children. Stafford demonstrated unswerving affection for his little family in spite of the restrictive laws governing antebellum Georgia. Eventually, as the Civil War approached, he sent Zabette and the children to Connecticut for their safety and education, while he stayed behind to manage his plantation. Their prolonged absence moved him to take up with another “slave” woman, by whom he had two more children. At war’s end, Zabette returned home, fondly imagining she could reunite with her common-law husband. Upon discovering he had a second family, her heart was broken. But her friends and former patients helped her learn that with freedom come new choices and responsibilities.  There are five principal roles in ZABETTE for two
sopranos, mezzo-soprano, baritone and bass. There are ten
secondary roles and six minor parts involving solos, some of which may
be derived from a chorus of slaves and freedmen. In addition
there are unison parts for up to five children. ZABETTE is scored
for medium orchestra (2222/2221/3 percussion and strings).
Included in the percussion are an African djun-djun, cabasa and 2
guiros. A prominent feature in Act III is the sea island ring
shout (play sample  ).
This unusual dance form, indigenous to coastal Georgia and South
Carolina, is derived from the "zout," a West African dance with Arabian
roots. A major role in the opera is that of Mr. Letterlaw.
Like the messenger of the classical gods, he appears on stage to
announce the relevant
Georgia laws regarding non-whites. Invisible to the other
characters, Mr. Letterlaw represents the restrictive spirit of the
interracial
codes of the South. (play sample from Act III, Mr. Letterlaw,
sung by Uzee Brown, bass ) ZABETTE
was written and scored as a full-length
dramatic opera. Total performance time is approximately two
hours, fifteen minutes. Portions, however, are particularly
suitable for recitals and concert performances, such as the “Portrait”
aria (Act I, scene i), the duet “Color Not Loveproof” (Act I, scene
iii), and the trio “Nothing Can Save Us But the Word,”(Act II), an
ensemble of three generations of Bernardey women, different in color,
but united by kinship and love. ZABETTE, as befits an American
opera, calls for performers of different racial backgrounds.ZABETTE is an opera for modern times based upon our difficult past. Its drama touches upon subjects still unresolved in our country. CDs, videotapes, and scores are available. We invite you to hear and see the world premiere performance and to consider featuring Zabette in a future production.
Curtis Bryant, composer
Mary R. Bullard, librettist Back to top |
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