Harlem’s all-black opera cast that made Broadway history in 1934

Harlem’s Groundbreaking All-Black Opera Conquers Broadway

The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford changed American theater forever when it premiered “Four Saints in Three Acts” on February 7, 1934.

This was the first opera in America with an all-Black cast, recruited from Harlem’s choirs and nightclubs by conductor Eva Jessye.

None of the key people had worked on opera before, but they created something special.

The show moved to Broadway two weeks later and ran for 70 performances, making it the longest-running opera in Broadway history at that time.

Stars like George Gershwin and Dorothy Parker packed the theater every night.

Here’s how this groundbreaking production broke barriers and where you can explore the Connecticut mansion that housed its creators.

Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thomson Teamed Up for Something New

Composer Virgil Thomson asked Gertrude Stein in 1926 to write an opera with him. Thomson wasn’t famous yet, so he smartly linked himself to Stein’s bigger name.

They picked Spanish saints as their topic in 1927, inspired by Stein’s friendships with artists Picasso and Juan Gris.

Thomson finished the music in 1928, using Stein’s strange words from 1927. The finished opera then sat unused for almost seven years before anyone agreed to put it on stage.

A Museum Director Gambled on an Untested Opera

The Wadsworth Atheneum art museum in Hartford surprisingly funded “Four Saints in Three Acts.”

The museum’s bold director, Chick Austin, saw promise where regular opera houses didn’t. He planned the show to match America’s first major Pablo Picasso art show.

The risk? Nobody involved had ever made an opera before. Austin needed something big for the Atheneum’s new theater wing, and this unusual opera fit perfectly.

Harlem’s Talent Found a Champion in Eva Jessye

Singers from Harlem’s choirs and nightclubs made up the cast. Eva Jessye, a top Black choral leader, handled finding and training the all-Black performers.

Thomson got lucky with Jessye’s help, though they often didn’t get along.

She pushed hard for fair treatment of her singers, demanding they get paid for practice time, which wasn’t normal then.

Her work made sure the Black performers got proper pay for their trailblazing work.

Artists and Innovators Created a Visual Feast

Artist Florine Stettheimer built stunning sets using cellophane and feather trees.

Frederick Ashton created the dance moves for everyone on stage. John Houseman, only 31 and fresh from selling grain, directed the show.

Maurice Grosser, Thomson’s boyfriend, helped organize Stein’s tough text into workable scenes. These creative people built something Americans had never seen before.

Hartford Became the Center of the Art World for One Night

The small 299-seat theater at the Wadsworth Atheneum buzzed with energy on February 7, 1934.

Conductor Alexander Smallens started the show with a drumroll at 9 p.m. Trains added extra cars from New York as important people came to Hartford.

They arrived in fancy cars, planes, and luxury trains. Art critics, musicians, and writers traveled from New York, Boston, and overseas.

Chick Austin smiled as little Hartford took the spotlight from bigger cities.

The Governor Summed Up What Everyone Was Thinking

Connecticut’s governor watched the odd new opera and joked: “Well, you can’t read the damn stuff, but you certainly can sing it.”

The story followed two 1500s Spanish saints through strange scenes that left viewers both amazed and confused.

The singers handled Stein’s tough words with ease.

Thomson’s simple music, full of hymns, marches, and waltzes, won people over. After selling out in Hartford, the show got ready for a bigger stage.

Broadway Welcomed Its First Opera with Open Arms

“Four Saints in Three Acts” moved to New York’s 44th Street Theatre on February 20, 1934. This marked the first time an opera opened right on Broadway, breaking tradition.

Just two weeks after starting in Hartford, the groundbreaking all-Black cast took their spots on one of America’s top stages.

The show became a hit despite everything about it being new and strange, from the words to the music to the sets.

Famous Faces Filled the Theater Night After Night

George Gershwin came to watch the show. So did writer Dorothy Parker and famous conductor Arturo Toscanini.

Many came back multiple times, with one woman seeing it sixteen times.

Carl Van Vechten, a friend of Stein’s known for capturing Harlem’s arts scene, became the show’s main recorder.

Photographers Lee Miller, George Platt Lynes, and Therese Bonney took many pictures of the show, saving its place in history.

The Show Ran Longer Than Any Opera on Broadway

“Four Saints in Three Acts” filled the 44th Street Theatre for 70 shows.

The run lasted from February 20 through April 14, 1934, setting a new record as the longest-running opera in Broadway history.

Sixty shows in just six weeks proved how popular this strange work had become.

This success stood out in the 1930s, when operas usually had shorter runs and rarely showed up on Broadway.

The Cast Moved On to Another Groundbreaking Show

Many singers from “Four Saints” soon joined George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” in 1935.

Gershwin, impressed by what he saw on Broadway, personally asked Eva Jessye to lead her choir in his new show. Virgil Thomson became a strong supporter of all-Black productions in classical music and theater.

Two years later, “Porgy and Bess” broke the Broadway opera record that “Four Saints” had set, continuing the path toward more diverse casting.

Two Worlds Collided to Create Something Revolutionary

“Four Saints in Three Acts” brought together the Harlem Renaissance and avant-garde art movements during the tense years between wars.

The production highlighted both Black and queer artists at a time when both groups faced severe discrimination.

Eva Jessye and the cast members represented a community of classical performers from Harlem that few Americans knew existed.

The opera broke barriers in form, content, and casting, challenging nearly every tradition of American theater and opening doors that had long been closed.

Visiting Austin A. Everett House, Connecticut

The Austin A. Everett House at 130 Scarborough Street in Hartford offers monthly guided tours on the third Thursday at 11am through thewadsworth.org reservations.

This National Historic Landmark copies a 16th-century Venetian villa design and has 18th-century Rococo rooms with silk walls and gilded furniture.

Tours include stairs with no elevator access. The $35 tour fee includes same-day Wadsworth Atheneum admission from noon to 5pm.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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