This is a unique study of the impact of French operatic culture on the lives of all people in a colonial plantation system (blacks, whites, the enslaved, and the freed).   I bridge this operatic culture for non-specialists by outlining relevant issues concerning slavery and contemporary issues, such as the Enlightenment and its influence on opera performances in colonial society. Thus, the study is intended not only for music educators and music students; it is also written for non-musical persons interested in Africana studies, French Caribbean studies, musical theatre, and status of women in Caribbean society.