Shanewis

Shanewis (or The Robin Woman) (1918) is an opera in one act and two scenes by Charles Wakefield Cadman with an English libretto by Nelle Richmond Eberhart.

They collaborated with Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone, a Cherokee/Creek singer, who contributed elements from her life for the contemporary plot related to Native American issues. She sang the lead role in her opera debut when it was performed in Denver in 1924, and also performed in Los Angeles in 1926.

The opera, which debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on March 23, 1918, is the first American opera to have been presented at the Metropolitan Opera for more than a single season. Over a two-season span, it was performed eight times. The opera was later introduced to Denver in 1924 and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 1926.

At the Denver performance of 1924, the title role was performed by soprano Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone (Creek) in her operatic debut. She also sang the lead in Los Angeles. Redfeather had earlier been a touring partner of Cadman when he lectured and performed Native American music.

Redfeather collaborated on the libretto of the opera although she received no official credit. She provided much of the semi-autobiographical plot elements.