Treemonisha: Scott Joplin’s Skeptical Black Opera More than a century ago, this now-famous American composer wrote an opera promoting education and the value of a skeptical perspective on superstition and supernatural claims. BRUCE A. THYER An’ it won’t be long he American composer Scott Joplin (1867–1917) is ’Fore I’ll make you from me run. deservedly famous for his many musical accomplish- I has dese bags o’ luck, ’tis true, So take care, gal, I’ll send bad luck to ments, which culminated in a posthumous Pulitzer you. Prize in 1976. An African American, Joplin is perhaps best Remus, a friend of Treemonisha’s T remonstrates: known for his many ragtime compositions such as the “Ma- pleleaf Rag,” the theme song to the popular movie The Sting. Shut up old man, enough you’ve said; You can’t fool Treemonisha—she has a Less well known are Joplin’s operas. The first, called A Guest level head. She is the only educated person of our of Honor, appeared in 1903, and his second, Treemonisha, race, was begun in 1907 and completed in 1910. For many long miles away from this place. The score of Treemonisha received less. He exits the scene and the eigh- She’ll break the spell of superstition in a positive review in the American Mu- teen-year-old Treemonisha enters and the neighborhood. sician and Art Journal in 1910 but the admonishes the conjuror: Zodzetrick leaves, and the scene only partial performance Joplin heard You have lived without working for changes to a later harvest dance. Lucy, was a self-funded 1915 concert read- many years. another friend of Treemonisha’s, through at the Lincoln Center in Har- All by your tricks of conjury. appears bound and gagged, having lem, New York. One ballet from Act II You have caused superstition and many escaped from being kidnapped (along was publically performed in 1915, after sad tears. You should stop, you are doing great with Treemonisha by Zodzetrick and which the score was lost. Rediscovered injury. his band of conjurors). The latter are in 1970, the world premier of Treemon- angry with Treemonisha, fearful that Offended, Zodzetrick replies: isha occurred in 1972, arranged jointly her open skepticism of their magical by the Atlanta Symphonic Orchestra You ’cuse me wrong powers will interfere with their ability and Morehouse College. Since then, For injury I’se not done, to defraud the community. it has enjoyed good runs, including sixty-five shows on Broadway in New York City and performances in Lon- don; Paris; Washington, D.C.; Hous- ton; San Francisco; and Berlin. The plot of Treemonisha will meet with approval from readers of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. The opera takes place on a plantation in Arkansas in 1884 where a band of traveling conju- rors try to sell Monisha (Treemonisha’s mother) a good luck charm. The magi- cian Zodzetrick claims the charm will keep away enemies, bring good luck, drive away the blues, and keep Mon- isha’s husband from drinking booze. Monisha’s husband, Ned, angrily in- tervenes, saying the charm bag is use- Skeptical Inquirer | July/August 2015 53 Luddud [a conjuror]: Dis here gal and Remus safely make their way home Joplin deserves a great deal of credit for don’t believe in superstition. later that evening. Other friends arrive, composing, over 100 years ago, a genu- with Zodzetrick and Luddud as prison- ine opera centered on skeptical themes. Zodzetrick: Dat’s de truth. ers, and the neighbors all wish to punish Copies of the libretto to Treemonisha are available online, and portions of the ac- Luddud: She don’t believe in conjury. them with a serious beating. Treemoni- sha intervenes, saying that the conjurors tual performance, libretto, score, dance, Zodzetrick: Dat’s de truth. should only be severely lectured. Tree- and songs can be watched on YouTube. A two-CD performance and book on monisha gives a speech on the value of ■ Luddud: She’s been tellin’ de people doing right, never wrong. In the end, Treemonisha is also now available. dat dey should throw away their bags the neighbors agree with Treemonisha’s For Further Reading o’ luck. Now, how are you goin’ to get request to forgive the conjurors, to shake food to eat, When you can’t sell yo’ bags Berlin, E.A. 2013. A review of Scott Joplin. o’ luck? their hands, and set them free. The Treemonisha. Paragon Ragtime Orchestra community elects Treemonisha as their and Singers. Journal of the Society for American Simon [another conjuror]: Food will leader because of her evident wisdom. Music, 7: 112–115. Carlin, F. 2010. Treemonisha. Financial Times be hard to get, If we can’t sell our bags Treemonisha presents a number of (April 6). London, UK. p. 11. of luck. laudable themes including the value As Treemonisha’s friends organize of education, the fraudulent nature of to rescue her, Zodzetrick and his men charms and spells, and the value of a plan to throw her into a wasp’s nest, skeptical perspective on supernatural Bruce A. Thyer, PhD, is not quite certain he is where she will be stung to death. While claims, especially those requiring the a professor of social the conjurors lead Treemonisha to the gullible to pay large sums of money to work at Florida State wasp’s nest, Remus, a friend of Tree- con men preying on their superstitious University in Tallahas- monisha’s dressed in a scarecrow’s cos- beliefs. There is also recognition that see, Florida. He can be tume, approaches in the night, and the sometimes seemingly harmless practices contacted at bthyer@ frightened conjurors flee, thinking the such as buying a good luck charm can fsu.edu. devil is coming after them. Treemonisha become associated with genuine harm. 54 Volume 39 Issue 4 | Skeptical Inquirer.