On March 9, at Alice Tully Hall, the Collegiate Chorale presented a welcome revival, conducted by Robert Bass and semi-staged by Roger Rees, of “King of Ragtime” Scott Joplin’s too-infrequently-performed, sole surviving opera Treemonisha , written in 1911 and first aired in Harlem in 1915. Joplin’s score yields a compelling blend of catchy rags and other popular dances; romantic ballads reminiscent of Donizetti, Mendelssohn and Sullivan’s music; and slow sweeping waltzes. Music Director Bass offered the local premiere of T.J. Anderson’s orchestration of Treemonisha , prepared for a performance led by Robert Shaw in the early 1970s and more of a chamber approach, as if for a pit band for an early 20^th century musical, than the more familiar Gunther Schuller orchestration, which has a grander, symphony orchestra feel. Vocal and instrumental forces here made a most persuasive case for the opera musically, but this hearing of the somewhat problematic piece failed to catch fire dramatically until the third and final act, when three of the leads have solos.

Set on a plantation in Arkansas, run by freed slaves, a couple of decades after the Emancipation Proclamation, Treemonisha limns its tale of the victory of education and even-handed justice, as personified by the eponymous heroine, over the ignorance and superstition promoted by the backward and evil conjurers, in primary colors, with little complexity or ambiguity. It is undeniable, however, that many standard repertory operas, with broadly comic or melodramatic librettos, thrive on the basis of their music and Treemonisha, despite theatrical shortcomings, deserves reconsideration by opera companies as well.

The singers were amplified and, while the predominantly music-theater and concert singers readily used their microphones, some of the opera singers, used to projecting in larger halls, seemed reluctant to use theirs. Diction, too, was not at a uniformly high level—perhaps some soloists’ discomfort with Joplin’s lyrics in dialect was responsible for this.

The Chorale ensemble itself, demonstrating exemplary diction, made the most of the rollicking “Frolic of the Bears” and second act finale rag, “ ;Aunt Dinah Has Blowed de Horn.” A sextet drawn from the Chorale delivered a dulcet barbershop number, “We Will Rest Awhile,” at the start of Act Two, Scene Two. The full complement of choristers contributed a heart-felt pledge of peace with their former enemies, in “Conjurors Forgiven,” and firmly supported Anita Johnson, as Treemonisha, and Robert Mack, as Remus, in their climactic showpieces.

As the young, educated protagonist, who becomes the leader of her people, Johnson led the company in the final numbers, the serious “We Will Trust You as Our Leader” and joyous song and dance, “A Real Slow Drag,” ; singing in a smooth and lustrous lyric soprano and succeeding in making neither the dissonances in the former nor the sudden high notes in the latter sound jarring. Lyric tenor Mack, as the man in her life, who rescues her when the conjurers abduct her, and bass Arthur Woodley, as her adoptive father, Ned, emphasized the florid, grand operatic aspects of the lofty airs with which they lecture the conjurers, “Wrong Is Never Right” and “When Villains Ramble Far and Near,” respectively, with Woodley handily descending to basso profondo depths in the latter. Warm-voiced mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson, as Monisha, lent rich tone and earnest feeling to her narrative, “The Sacred Tree,” in which she told of finding and adopting Treemonisha, the abandoned baby whom she and Ned have raised as their own.

Baritone James Martin vividly realized the roles of conjurers Zodzetrick and Luddud-- characters akin to the pusher Sportin’ Life, in Porgy and Bess —who, with their partner-in-crime, Simon (DeAndre Simmons), kidnap Treemonisha and her friend, Lucy (Elena O’Connor), when the former threatens their louche livelihood. Bass Terry Cook, as Parson Alltalk, was on hand for a rousing sermon, “Good Advice.” Barron Coleman, as Andy, guided the company through a lively song and circle dance, “We’re Goin’ Around,” and was also Cephus, who urged the conjurers to spare Treemonisha from being shoved into a wasps’ nest.

The Collegiate Chorale next takes on Hector Berlioz’s Te Deum , with tenor Vinson Cole, and Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms at Carnegie Hall on May 12.

Treemonisha cast members Elena O’Connor & James Martin with Music Director Robert Bass and Stage Director Roger Rees.

Photo by Shelley Brown.

Alice Tully Hall, Broadway at 65^th Street

March 9 Treemonisha Tickets $25, 40 & 60

Carnegie Hall, 57^th Street & 7^th Avenue

May 12 Te Deum & Chichester Psalms Tickets $20, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 & 85

Carnegie Charge 212/247-7800 or http://www.carnegiehall.org