A Bayou Legend is an American opera composed by William Grant Still (1895-1978), with a libretto by his wife and frequent collaborator, Verna Arvey (1910-1987). Set in a 19th-century Creole village in the Mississippi Delta, the opera focuses on the deadly revenge that the beautiful but vicious Clothilde enacts on Bazile, a handsome young man who does not return her expressions of love. When Clothilde discovers that Bazile has been in communication with Aurore, a spirit who identifies herself as Bazile's lover from a distant era, Clothilde threatens to have Bazile arrested for violating local religious customs. When Bazile continues to refuse to wed Clothilde, she arranges for a mob to have him lynched. In his death throes, however, Bazile's soul is united with Aurore; Clothilde lives out the remainder of her years as a bitter recluse.
A Bayou Legend was created in 1941, but it was not professionally staged until 1974 when Opera/South in Jackson, Mississippi presented its world premiere, 33 years after its creation. The company revived the opera in 1976, and in 1979 collaborated with the Mississippi Educational Television Authority to create a made-for-television film version. However, post-production problems delayed its broadcast until June 15, 1981.[1] This marked the first time that an opera composed by an African American was broadcast on television.[2]
The New York Times review of the television production praised the opera as "simple but effective" and described the cast as "exceptionally handsome and talented."[3] The production also received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction. To date, the televised production has not been commercially released on DVD.