Scott Joplin (1868-1917) is often referred to as “The King of Ragtime” due to his immense success as a composer of piano rags. His greatest wish was to be recognized as a composer of opera. He spent his final years trying to see “Treemonisha” performed on stage, but failed  to do so. Nearly sixty years after Joplin’s death his wish was finally fulfilled.

Jeffrey Engel will detail Joplin’s life and play excerpts from his only surviving opera which has also been nicknamed “The Sleeping Beauty of American Music.”