Colored American Opera Company 150th Anniversary Celebration

150th Anniversary Concert:
Celebrating The Colored American
Opera Company

Sunday, June 25th 2023 | 5pm

St. Augustine Catholic Church
1419 V Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009

Free Admission

About the Concert

Victorian Lyric Opera Company in partnership with the St. Augustine Chorale presents a concert in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of The Colored American Opera Company, Washington D.C.'s first opera company.

The concert will feature a mix of secular and sacred works including hymns, gospel selections, and highlights from operettas honoring the history and legacy of The Colored American Opera Company.

History

Tracing its linage back to 1858, St. Augustine Catholic Church was founded by a group of emancipated Black Catholics who, faced with a society that was not yet willing to put off the last vestiges of slavery and a Church that, at best, tolerated the presence of Black people, sought to build their own space to worship and educate their children. After operations were briefly halted by the Civil War, the congregation recommitted itself to building a church on what is now 15th Street NW.

In 1866, choir director William T. Benjamin, formed the church's first choir with 14 voices in the congregation's small chapel. By 1868 under the direction of Professor John Esputa that number had grown to 21. Professor Esputa expanded their repertoire to include spirituals, classical sacred music, and popular operettas. The fame of the musical talents of the choir drew distinguished Washington music lovers, both white and African American, to services and performances at the little chapel.

In 1869 the Colored American Opera Troupe, organized by William T.
Benjamin and T. Henry Donahue and trained by Professor Esputa, began performing operettas in Washington and on “tour to the North”. The first operatic organization “in the history of the country...composed entirely of colored ladies and gentlemen” raised substantial sums for the parish. In 1873 the renamed Colored American Opera Company toured and performed the comic opera, The Doctor of Alcantara, to great acclaim.

In 1876, the new church building, built in no small part with the money raised by the opera company, was consecrated. The Colored American Opera Company, having served its purpose, disbanded with its members serving a new role as the St. Augustine Chorale, the church's premiere choir.

The original St. Augustine Catholic Church building stood until 1947. The congregation now worships at a new location at 1419 V Street NW.

In 2008, The Strathmore came to Saint Augustine to research the musical story of the first African American Opera Company. As a result, an original world premiere production, Free to Sing highlighted the history and three types of music the original Company performed, spirituals, religious choral music, and opera. Excerpts from The Doctor of Alcantara were performed. The concert program described the dramatic performance as “the story about the lives and times of freed slaves and freedmen in Washington, DC. Against the unlikely backdrop of slavery, the American Civil War, and emancipation (freeing of slaves) these men and women performed in the Saint Augustine Catholic Church choir before forming the nation’s African American opera company. The goal: To raise money for their
growing congregation. But they also achieved something else. They united through their music, both white and African American audiences during a difficult period in the nation’s history.”

The legacy of Mr. William T. Benjamin, the founders of the St. Augustine congregation, and the Colored American Opera Company continues today in the church's music ministry, which includes The St. Augustine Chorale.

The St. Augustine Catholic Church on 15th St NW which was built with funds raised by The Colored American Opera Company.

Parking

Parking is available in the Franklin D. Reeves Center garage on U Street, one block from the church. The Reeves Center is on U street near the intersection of 14th and U Streets NW.

Public Transportation