E. C. Schirmer is pleased to welcome a new addition to our opera catalog. Evangline is a chamber opera based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem of the same name, scored for soloists, piano, violin, and narrator. A tragic story based on historical and real events, this opera is an accessible addition to any catalog.
Evangeline tells the story of the expulsion of the Acadian people from Nova Scotia from 1755-64. Forced into exile by the British, the Acadians were separated from one another, traveling the United States and abroad searching for loved ones. Longfellow wrote his poem in 1847, focusing on the plight of young Acadian woman Evangeline. She is betrothed to her childhood sweetheart, Gabriel. However, before they have a chance to marry, British soldiers force residents of her town to leave, causing their separation. The opera follows Evangeline as she searches for Gabriel.