The World’s First Pidgin Opera

HISTORY OF OPERA

The History of Opera has a relatively short duration within the context of the history of music in general. It appeared in 1597, when the first opera , Dafne, by Jacopo Peri, was created. Since then it has developed parallel to the various musical currents that have followed one another over time up to the present day, generally linked to the current concept of classical music.

Opera (from the Latin Opera, plural of OPUS, “WORK”) is a musical genre that combines symphonic music, usually performed by an orchestra, and a written dramatic text- expressed in form of a libretto interpreted vocally by singers of different Tessitura: Tenor, Baritone, and Bass for male register, and Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, and Contralto for the female, in addition to the so called White Voice (those for children) or in Falsetto (Castrato, Countertenor).

Generally, the musical work contains overtures, interludes and musical accompaniments, while the sung part can be in choir or solo, duet, trio, or various combinations, in different structures such as Recitative or Aria.

There are various genres, such as Classical opera, Chamber opera, Operetta, Musical, Singspiel, and Zarzuela. On the other hand, as in theatre, there is dramatic opera (Opera serial) and Comic opera (Opera buffs), as well as hybrid between the two: The Drama Giocoso. However, there has been a birth to a new genre of Opera and is known has “A PIDGIN OPERA”

PIDGIN OPERA

Helen Epega together with Baba-Jallah Epega (Nigerian-British) created the world’s first “Pidgin Opera”, ‘SONG QUEEN’. The first in Pidgin English.  

The genre is not just opera music but more than that. It is about multi-culturalism, identity, emancipation and a feeling of celebrating and being celebrated. Introducing Africa to the world and Africans in the Diaspora. The Pidgin Opera  is breaking the previous Royale and bourgeoisie concept of opera, Pidgin opera is Freedom through music and storytelling with the mélange of different cultures, connecting audiences to Africa.

Once seen as an outsider, the Nigerian-British Opera performer ‘Helen Epega’ has broken the medium’s echo chamber, infusing Nigerian Pidgin and other languages on the margins. “She wants the World to listen.”

Helen Epega, also known by her creative alias ‘The Venus Bushfires’ (a name coined to mean ‘a birth of possibilities’). Fueled by an ardent desire to bridge the gap between cultures, the opera blossomed from Epega’ s passionate mission to share the rich tapestry of Nigerian and African culture with the diaspora.

At the age of seven, Epega moved from Nigeria with her family to London. Amidst the excitement of a new chapter, she was met with a bittersweet reality. She recalls being picked on simply because of her African heritage.

“I was very confused when I was hit with my new reality in London. I thought it was fantastic to be African and I was proud to be One,”- Epega tells OkayAfrica when interviewed. “I didn’t understand why I was treated differently.” This initial experience inspired her, many years later, to work towards creating an environment where Africa would come to be celebrated and Africans in the diaspora could feel proud of their heritage.

Song Queen (composed by Helen Epega) is about a biblical and nondescript ethereal singing tribe called Menemeh. The Menemeh tribe create a peaceful reality in all the world’s realm through songs. All is well until the “Vrugos”, who live in the realm of the stars, become envious of the prosperity that the Menemeh tribe has created on Earth.

In their jealousy, they create temptations for the Menemeh tribe who become distracted and start to lose their ability to sing, resulting in chaos across the universe. To restore peace in the world, Kanate, the rising Queen of the Menemeh tribe, must venture into the realm of the Venus Bushfires to find the peace song. A song in various tongues capable of uniting all the world’s realms.