L'Odyssee

Beginning in 1755, British Governor Charles Lawrence ordered the deportation of nearly 12,000 French Acadians from Nova Scotia who refused to swear allegiance to Britain, but wished to remain neutral. The British colonials adversarially viewed the Acadians as a threat because of their Catholic heritage and proximity to New France. The deportation included: capturing as many men as possible, breaking dykes, burning houses and farms, threatening families with bayonets, and shipping the Acadians to various locations around the Atlantic. About half of the Acadians died during the expulsion. Between 1764 and 1785 around 3000 Acadians sailed to Louisiana, where they arrived destitute having lost most of their property, and in many cases, family members. These Acadians are the ancestors of present day Cajuns of Southern Louisiana. Each section of the music reflects a dierent emotional aspect of the deportation. The peaceful opening includes the French folk song “Les Huit Jours De Mai” (The Eight Days of May) but abruptly and violently shifts into a theme, in 7⁄8, that represents fear and uncertainty. Soon a “Theme of Hope” emerges paying tribute to the Acadian’s strength and determination to survive the ordeal. A slow middle section portrays calmness and dreams of a new life. The perilous journey continues with a recapitulation of the 7⁄8 theme but soon builds into a restatement of the “Theme of Hope”, now in major! The shifting tonalities suggest a new world with myriad possibilities and a bright future! L’Odyssée was commissioned by the Lâche pas Vermilion, (Vermilion Parish, Louisiana).