African Songbook

Thursday 17 June

Opera House Artscape

17 and 19 June 2010 at 19:30 and 19 June 2010 at 14:00

Conductor: Graham Scott
Written and directed by Michael Williams with music by Allan Stephenson, Mike Campbell and Roelof Temmingh.

In celebration of the FIFA World Cup, Cape Town Opera, Artscape Theatre and the CPO present a new three-act work called African Songbook – A Musical Tribute to the Life Of Nelson Mandela (Opera House, 17-19 June).

Written and directed by Michael Williams, it sets to music the defining moments in the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela.

Act One, with score for orchestra and mass choir by Allan Stephenson,  will explore life in rural Transkei and a young man’s  initiation into adulthood using traditional music of the Xhosa people from the 1920’s and 1930’s. The music of Sophiatown, arranged by Mike Campbell, will set the scene for Act Two. The music of Roelof Temmingh will be woven together on themes of revolution, incarceration and freedom in the final act. The CPO will accompany the Voice of the Nation Chorus and Fezeka High School Choir.  

Sung in English, Xhosa with English text projected above the stage

Also see the website of Cape Town Opera

Booking is at Computicket.