Grand Opera House to present ‘Le Papillon: Celebrating Floyd Sonnier’s Acadiana’

On Saturday and Sunday, the Grand Opera House will bring a unique and wonderful production to its stage - Ballet Acadiana’s “Le Papillon: Celebrating Floyd Sonnier’s Acadiana.”
In this original performance, Ballet Acadiana brings to life through dance and music the love for Cajun culture that inspired the art of Floyd Sonnier, the internationally acclaimed pen-and-ink artist from Acadia Parish who specialized in depicting Cajun life.
The ballet is based on Sonnier’s book, “From Small Bits of Charcoal: The Life and Works of a Cajun Artist,” written just before the artist’s death and published posthumously by his widow. The book, which is autobiographical in nature, contains 24 short stories (in both English and French) that bring a Cajun childhood to life.
The genre of the performance is probably best described as “ballet folk,” incorporating the characteristics of Cajun dancing with the beautiful movement of classical ballet.
The bilingual production features 20 dancers and is a collaboration between Ballet Acadiana and The Has Beans, a local group of veteran Cajun musicians that will perform as “the orchestra,” playing such standards as “Little Dark Eyes,” “Petite ou la Grosse” and “The Mardi Gras Song,” as well as “Cajun Hero,” an original piece developed for the show.
As the ballet follows Sonnier through his childhood years, it is narrated first by fifth-grade student Andre Badeaux, then by Michael Vincent, an LSU AgCenter post-doctoral researcher.
As part of the remarkable production, an exhibit of Sonnier’s artwork will be on display on the lower level of the opera house. The exhibit will even include a drawing of the opera house done by Sonnier and included in “From Small Bits of Charcoal.”
There will be two showings of “Le Papillon” on Saturday, one at 4 p.m. and one at 7:30 p.m., and one on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $35 apiece and are available online at thegrandoperahouse.org or by calling 785-0440.