2022 has absolutely been a great year for events, concerts, and shows in Buffalo and Western New York, and another great show has just been announced that you may want to put on your calendar.

We've already seen the likes of Patti Labelle, Backstreet Boys, Bell Biv DeVoe, Dierks Bentley, New Kids on the Block, Rage Against the Machine, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tim McGray, and more all come through the 716 this year, and now you can add an amazing Concert-Theatre show to this list.

93.7 WBLK logo
Get our free mobile app

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra recently announced that The Chevalier, which is written and directed by Bill Barclay, will be live at Kleinhans Music Hall on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

The Chevalier tells the story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and his life living in colonial France.

Born in 1745 on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, Bologne was the son of a wealthy Frenchman Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges and a slave woman named Nanon who was owned by his wife. The elder Bologne was a member of the French aristocracy but his son was not able to inherit a title of nobility due to being of African descent.

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Getty Images
loading...

Nevertheless, the younger Bologne was able to travel to France with his father where he subsequently learned the violin and fencing. After his training and education, he became a key bodyguard for King Louis XV and a world-renown concertmaster, composer, and violinist.

The concert-theatre show goes through the story, accomplishments, and life of Bologne, the relationships he had with the Queen of France Marie Antoinette, his next-door neighbor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the happenings in France during the lead-up to the French Revolution as the first classical composer of color.

Tickets for The Chevalier are available now on the Kleinhans Music Hall website and start at $17.

I had the opportunity to speak with Bill Barclay, the writer, and director of The Chevalier, you can check out a few excerpts of our conversations below:

What about the life and story of Joseph Bologne inspired you to want to develop this show?

From what you know, how did French society at the time lead him towards the title Chevalier de Saint-Georges?

How can you not be a fan of The Chevalier after you learn his life story?

What distinguished Bologne from others in Paris during the late 1700s?

Weren't there some other important events going on in France at the same time?

What is Concert-Theatre?

Can you tell us about the cast?

What is the National Alliance for Audition Support?

These Are The 9 Richest Places To Live in New York State

How Much Should You Spend On a First Date In Buffalo

7 Exciting Things To See And Do When Canada Opens

Going over the border has so many benefits for many Americans, people come from all over the world to Canada all the time. Buffalo and Niagra Falls residents are spoiled because we have the advantage of being so very close, for most people here the border is less than 20 minutes away. The thing that I have noticed over the years is, the main strip in Niagra Falls Ontario gets bigger all the time with more things to see and do. Did you know, that the first hotel was built on Ferry Rd. in the tourist area back in 1833? it's amazing to see all of the additions, even since the 90s.

More From 93.7 WBLK