THNOC and the LPO present the 16th Musical Louisiana at the St. Louis Cathedral

L’Arrivée is a historic musical journey in the heart of the Vieux Carré

NEW ORLEANS — In partnership with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) proudly presents the 16th annual Musical Louisiana: America’s Cultural Heritage – a free educational concert for music lovers in New Orleans and throughout the state. Set against the backdrop of the Vieux Carré, "L’Arrivée - Three Firsts in the Vieux Carré” will take place Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the iconic St. Louis Cathedral.

Under the guidance of LPO Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin Music Director, Matthew Kraemer, and in collaboration with accomplished chamber ensembles, Variant 6 and Filament, L’Arrivée will revive three significant bodies of work that arrived and were performed in the Vieux Carré before statehood. The repertoire includes rarely performed selections from THNOC’s archives: the Ursuline Music Manuscript (1736), Andre Gretry’s Silvain (1770) and Francois Devienne’s Les Visitandines (1792).

“Created by late director of our Williams Research Center, Alfred Lemmon, we have co-presented Musical Louisiana with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007,” says Daniel Hammer, THNOC president and CEO. “For its 16th edition, L’Arrivée will immerse listeners in the rich cultural tapestry of the Vieux Carré as Musical Louisiana pays homage to the firsts that shaped its musical legacy with these three musical masterpieces.”

"Our annual partnership with The Historic New Orleans Collection is one of our most treasured collaborations because it creates space to honor Louisiana's heritage through music," says LPO Executive Director Anwar Nasir. "Musical Louisiana draws a through line from our history to today and its relevance allows audiences of all ages to draw individual connections to the music."

The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 7 p.m. with a pre-concert lecture by Kraemer to enhance the audience’s understanding of the historic significance of the compositions. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For those unable to attend in person, tune in to the live broadcast on 89.9 WWNO-FM, Classical 104.9 FM, or 90.5 KTLN-FM in the Houma-Thibodaux area. Livestreaming will be facilitated by WLAE.

To learn more about Musical Louisiana, visit hnoc.org.

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About The Historic New Orleans Collection
Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the stewardship of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org, call (504) 523-4662.

About the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Steeped in history yet focused on innovation, the Grammy-nominated Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is the only full-time collaboratively governed and operated orchestra in the United States.  Under the leadership of Music Director, Matthew Kraemer, the LPO is rooted in a culturally diverse community with a two-hundred-year orchestral music tradition, the LPO sets the standard for orchestral programming and performance in Louisiana.  For our sixty-seven musicians, achieving the highest level of artistry is integrally linked with a personal investment in our organization and our community. 

Visit lpomusic.com to learn more.