''Singin' Billy: A Folk Opera'' is a 1952 opera composed by Charles F. Bryan from a libretto by Donald Davidson. The narrative is loosely based on the life of the singing school teacher William Walker (1809–1875), who compiled the 1835 tunebook ''

Southern Harmony The ''Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion'' is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker, first published in 1835. The book is notable for having originated or popularized several hymn tunes found in modern hymnals and sha ...

''. In the opera, Walker's virtue is contrasted with the corruption of Kinch Hardy, a local trouble maker in the fictional Oconee Town in Pickens County,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. Walker had caught the attention of Southern folklorists and musicologists in 1933, when

George Pullen Jackson George Pullen Jackson (1874–1953) was an American educator and musicologist. He was a pioneer in the field of Southern (U.S.) hymnody. He was responsible for popularizing the term "white spirituals" to describe the "fasola" singing. Early l ...

, a friend and colleague of Davidson at

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

, had covered him in his book ''White Spirituals in the Southern Uplands''. The opera includes five hymns from ''Southern Harmony''.

Performance history

The premiere took place at the

Theater on April 23, 1952. The production ran until April 28 and starred a cast from the Vanderbilt Theater and the music department of Peabody College. The libretto was published by The Foundation for American Education in 1985.

Roles

References

{{Reflist 1952 operas English-language operas Operas Operas set in the United States South Carolina in fiction Works by Donald Davidson (poet) Works set in the 19th century Folk operas