- Ladies and gentlemen!

- [Narrator] By a small lake, not far from the historic city of Vicksburg, on water that once was part of the Yazoo River, amid oaks and cypress trees, laden with Spanish Moss, the Mississippi Center for Educational Television, and the pioneering company Opera/South joined forces to create "A Bayou Legend" for television.

(piano music) The story of Opera/South is unique.

Founded in 1971 by a combine of traditionally black Mississippi colleges, Opera/South today, is sponsored by two of them.

Jackson State University, located in the capital city of Jackson is one of these.

The other is Utica Junior College in Utica, Mississippi.

The purpose of Opera/South is to give students an opportunity to work in professional opera, to provide a showcase for gifted young American artists with professional credits, and to open opera to new audiences.

Unlike opera companies that use a professional chorus, for Opera/South, the chorus is the focus for student participation.

Students from both Jackson State and Utica form the nucleus of the Opera/South chorus.

In some productions, Opera/South invites other area schools to participate as chorus members.

- Let's smile and enjoy what you're doing.

That's half your problem, you're too serious.

Right?

Look at me, you're pulling it down, down, down.

But smile, be happier people.

(piano music) Smile.

Okay one- (class sings) - [Narrator] Choral units are first trained by their own choral directors, working during and after chorus classes.

At the same time, choristers share the experience of working with nationally distinguished directors and conductors.

Just such an example is Jonathan Morris, Opera/South's assistant conductor, who takes over with the combined choruses during the final rehearsal weeks.

- Can we do that now?

Can this whole group here go over there?

- [Narrator] Some chorus members gladly travel as far as 60 miles to reach their rehearsals because Opera/South provides them with the opportunity to learn firsthand about opera.

- Hold on.

As I come through, this space will open up to three feet, and you'll turn 90 degrees.

You've seen that happen a hundred times.

(laughter) - [Narrator] During this period, days begin early and end late.

Often, students do not get home until well after midnight.

But singing in the chorus is only one phase of student participation.

Students at both institutions help in the overall development of all Opera/South productions.

(buzzing) Sets and costumes are designed by Opera/South artistic director, Donald Door, working closely with instructors of co-sponsoring institutions, to allow for student participation, while ensuring that Opera/South's professional standards are maintained.

Then vocational tech students at Utica, and industrial arts students at Jackson State construct the sets and props.

Utica's textual department, which trains students to work in the garment industry, prepares the Cyclorama curtains and stage backdrops, which are then painted by JSU students.

(chattering) Utica students also make the chorus costumes.

Over the years, students have made more than 500, which Opera/South now lends to other groups in the area.

Students participate in yet other ways.

A national critic wrote that he had never seen such believable Egyptian ankh guards in "Aida", as the Jackson State football tigers, who have also been cast as Ateles Mariners and as Roman Legionnaires.

The ROTC drill team liven up the changing of the guard in "Carmen", and the Jackson State University Sonic Boom Marching Band added flair to the artillery in "The Elixir of Love".

(marching band plays) Dancers at Jackson State and Utica get into the act when the opera calls for ballet.

Choreographed and trained by their instructors, they joined the company for the last two weeks of rehearsal, when the director and conductor take over.

Other students help with publicity, ticket sales, and the fund drive.

Theater art students serve as Supers for the productions.

This complex operation is handled by a board of directors composed of administrators and faculty from both schools.

Its general manager is Dolores O'Dwayno.

Opera/South mounts two major operas each year in Jackson, plus a double bill of short operas in the summer, called The Mississippi Showboat, which plays at inner city spots, shopping malls, and tours not only in Mississippi, but other Southern states.

Within four years, Opera/South achieved the status of a major company, and won inclusion in Who's Who in Opera.

Auditions are held year-round in Jackson, and once a year in New York.

Professionals who receive Opera/South contracts have a chance to build repertoire, to star in operatic roles, and to receive reviews by major critics, giving them additional exposure.

Opera/South and noted producers, standard repertoire, as well as contemporary works is committed to introducing new music by black composers to opera audiences.

"A Bayou Legend" then, was a natural.

Its first performances by Opera/South were staged in 1974 and 1976.

For the television production, a new cast was assembled.

(opera singing) Top professionals were enlisted to join with the staff in carrying out the television production.

(opera music) Leonard DePaul, long a devoted admirer of the music of William Grant Still, was once again in charge of the score, as he was for the Opera/South stage productions.

While the singers rehearsed, the scene of the action was being prepared by Mississippi ETV.

Singers and chorus were in for surprise.

The production method devised for "A Bayou Legend" was unique.

It began with conductor, Leonard DePaul, and a piano recorded on tape.

These recordings were the foundation for all the location shooting, as director John Thompson of Toronto explained.

- [John Thompson] What we will do here today is you'll hear the piano, you'll see the maestro on the monitors.

The people that don't know the words, if they could just mouth along with it, that's quite a satisfactory with me.

Okay?

And the other point, I think, is a little difficult to accept it, but when you hear it at home- - [Man] Here's Leonard.

- Leonard is here?

- Yep.

- When you watch this at home, unless you are a musical person who knows tenors and baritones, you all want to show it.

If you are not singing, you should silently sing along.

You follow what I'm saying?

When the tenors are in alone, the basses are out, right?

At some point.

The basses should silently sing along, shouldn't sing, just mouth the words the tenors are singing.

The whole congregation is singing.

You follow what I'm saying?

You are at a church service.

You are at a church service and I cannot stress that enough.

Okay?

You're watching a preacher.

- [Man] Awesome, camera.

Roll playback!

- [Crew Member] 27, Act One take.

- [Crew Member] We're ready whenever you are, John.

(operatic singing) - [Narrator] The orchestra was not to be added, in a separate recording session, until weeks later after the editing was completed.

All the singing performances in "A Bayou Legend" were recorded live by microphones, which could capture the voices without picking up the pre-recorded piano playback.

Videotaping was completed on location, in nine days and nights.

The goodwill and flexibility of every member of the cast and crew made possible an ambitious production under difficult circumstances.

To prepare old Clothilde for one silent appearance, took five hours in the makeup chair.

For the special effect on Aurora's entrance, a platform was built in eight feet of water stretching 40 feet out into Thompson Lake.

As production began, the singers were not sure they could deliver their best under open air conditions.

Many said later, however, that they were helped by the echo bouncing back from the surface of the lake.

Their efforts preserve the live quality, which the production required.

(operatic singing) - [John Thompson] Cut playback!

- [Narrator] The cast, chorus, dancers, and crew became a family for two weeks.

The result must be judged as it always is, by the viewer at home.

Events backstage can only be the preparation for the curtain to rise, the show to begin, the magic to happen.

It is this which was always the dream for William Grant Still, one we hope, to have made real.