The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is presenting a one-night-only performance of ‘The Chevalier: A Musical Play.’
Written by Bill Barclay, ‘The Chevalier’ is a play with music that tells the biographical story of composer, violinist and military leader Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Blending costumed actors with a live orchestra and solo violinist, ‘The Chevalier’ explores the life and legacy of Bologne, including his friendships with Marie Antoinette and famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on May 16 at the Walker Theatre.
“You’ll get an idea of how he as a person, what we know of him, faced racial inequity and dealt with that, as well as his kind of almost fantastical relationships with both Mozart and Marie Antoinette,” Dana Stone, executive director of the ICO, told the Recorder.
Bologne was born in the Caribbean; his father was a French nobleman, and his mother was enslaved. Bologne’s father recognized his talents early on and took Bologne back to Paris, where he was raised in French society — and likely became the first man of African descent to learn to play violin, fence and join the military, Stone said.
READ MORE: Foster Success to host community events for National Foster Care Month
However, despite its resemblance to Mozart’s style, Bologne’s music was rarely performed. Though there’s been a sort of rediscovery of his compositions within the last 15-20 years, Stone said. The ICO has incorporated several of Bologne’s pieces into their concerts within the past five years, but ‘The Chevalier’ gives the organization a chance to present Hoosiers with an evening entirely dedicated to the work of this significant historical figure.
“We’ve all been committed to exploring the full repertoire of classical music, and when you recognize that a composer of significance hasn’t been often played, it’s something that we felt was important. To maintain artistic excellence is to be diverse in the composers that we present and the style that we present,” Stone said. “Even though his style is very similar to Mozart — they have a similar sound, as most classical composers do — his music really hasn’t been celebrated, and we wanted to change that.”
Though ‘The Chevalier’ premiered four years ago, it hasn’t been presented in the U.S. in about 14 months, and Stone said the ICO is thrilled to be able to bring it back for Hoosier audiences. In fact, the ICO has been eager to add ‘The Chevalier’ to its performance roster since 2022 as it was important to the organization to bring the name and recognition to the forefront for classical music lovers and those who are curious, Stone said.
Brendon Elliott, ICO Guest Artist 2025-26, will be the solo violinist performing in the musical role of Joseph Bologne while an actor speaks the lines — a unique role that requires both men to mirror each other on stage to tell the full story. Elliott joined the ICO as a concert master four years ago, and Stone said the orchestra is glad to have him back for this performance.
Bologne’s story teaches us that there are still things people don’t know about the history of classical music and classical musicians, Stone said.
“We know about him [Bologne] now, but who don’t we know about? I think that’s why I hesitate to say the first composer of African descent in classical music. I don’t know that that’s accurate, but it’s the first one we know about,” Stone said. “I think that is why it’s so important to continue to discover the past, but also celebrate composers of different diversities and experiences today, so that we can make correct errors of the past moving forward and continue to celebrate the wide variety of experiences and styles of classical music.”
‘The Chevalier’ takes place at 7:30 p.m. on May 16 at the Walker Theatre, 617 Indiana Ave. Tickets are $45-$55. The show is approximately 90 minutes and recommended for audiences aged 6 and up.
There will be a free Chamber Chat before the performance with writer Barclay, Joshua Thompson, and maestro Matthew Kramer. For more information, visit icomusic.org or ticketmaster.com.
This story has been updated.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
 is presenting a one-night-only performance of ‘The Chevalier: A Musical Play.’){kind=link}