Singer-songwriter Roxanne Delage is set to bring her autobiographical production, Gypsy Melodies – A Folk Opry, to the stage at The Port Theatre on Friday, February 21. The show, a deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience, has been years in the making and is a vision brought to life from a creative spark ignited during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Writing about my late mother is always bittersweet,” Delage shared. “There are three songs in particular in the show that were inspired by her, but the most emotional one I would say is She Made Everything Beautiful, recalling my childhood and how she did her best for my sisters and me despite our meagre means.”
The Gypsy Melodies project includes a 20-song soundtrack, a companion book of lyrics, poetry, and stories, and a full-stage production. Delage credits longtime Cornwall musician Marc Muir for helping shape the album’s sound. “I had known Marc for many years as a talented rock and blues guitarist, but it was a short YouTube video of him playing a soft finger-picking tune that immediately drew me to him for my purpose,” she said. “After our first meeting, I felt that he intrinsically knew what I wanted him to do with my music. And he did.”
Bringing Gypsy Melodies from concept to completion was a challenging yet fulfilling experience for Delage. “Recording the 20-song soundtrack was a year-and-a-half long process, and putting the book together was the most difficult part—making sense of all the parts, the style, the pace, the sentiment, and the levity, while finding the right photographs and graphics to tie it all together visually,” she explained. “There were sleepless nights and some tears over it. It was certainly a cathartic trip down memory lane.”
Audiences can expect an emotional and dynamic performance. “The audience can expect an earnest, lively, sentimental musical journey of songs and stories of love and loss and a long road home, featuring a wide variety of genres we like to call ‘gypsy fusion’—folk, blues, pop, country, jazz, and show music—performed by my fabulous nine-piece band,” Delage said.
At its heart, Gypsy Melodies is a tribute to Delage’s late mother and a nod to the power of perseverance. “I hope this show and my story inspires those with a dream to keep it alive,” she said. “Anything is possible, and it’s never too late to manifest your heart’s desire. Get yourself a vision board!”
Tickets for Gypsy Melodies – A Folk Opry are available online at theporttheatre.com. For more information on Gypsy Melodies, visit gypsymelodies.com.
