The Publick Pleasure: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

In the 1780’s and 90’s Philadelphia teemed with French boarding houses, French schools, French dancing masters, the French language, and French cuisine. French music was a regular part of public concert offerings. During the slave rebellion in St Domingue (colonial Haiti) Philadelphia was flooded with refugees (both colonists and enslaved & free persons of color), including musicians and dancers. In this concert The Publick Pleasure will explore the French footprint in Philadelphia, including original research and portions of a public concert performed in Philadelphia during the 1790’s by a “gens de couleur” (free person of color) who had been principal violinist in the colonial opera theaters of St Domingue.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Church of the Good Shepherd, 1116 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, United States