Ravel in New Orleans

Although Ravel had no performance engagements in New Orleans, he was especially eager to make a visit to a place which combined a tradition of French culture with a notable cuisine as well as the origins of jazz.

He travelled by train from New York, and arrived in New Orleans on 5 April 1928 in the morning, to spend the day seeing the city, before leaving again that evening to continue his journey Houston, Texas. He wrote about his trip to his godmother Mme Dreyfus while he was on the train:

“C’est maintenant la petite balade finale: Nouvelle-Orléans, où j’arriverai demain matin, seulement pour jeter un regard attendri sur cette vieille colonie française; et déguster le ‘Pompano en papillotes’ arrosé de vins de France (mais oui… si vous saviez ce que c’est que la prohibition!)”. (Orenstein [1989] letter 298).

And it was later reported that Ravel had also rejoiced at being able to enjoy some real French coffee while in New Orleans, the American style of coffee not being to his liking. (Houston Post-Dispatch, 7 April 1928, p.18 – quoted in Dunfee [1980] p.102).