Arts writer
FOUR South African composers have teamed up with four writers to create half-hour works that are powerful and innovative, telling contemporary African stories in imaginative new ways in Four: 30.
Presented by Cape Town Opera (CTO) in collaboration with UCT Opera School, the four new operas – The Application, Blood of Mine, Bessie: The Blue-Eyed Xhosa and Anti-Laius– will be onstage at Artscape Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday.
“We must constantly create new operas,” says conductor Kamal Khan. “There are so many exciting new singers being discovered in South Africa, but what will they sing? They should be able to sing their own stories.”
CTO Artistic Director Matthew Wild agrees. “For most artists working in the field of opera, the majority of our time is spent reviving classics by long-dead composers. So it’s a real thrill to bring a brand new work to life for the first time in collaboration with a composer and a librettist. New works are a vital ingredient in keeping the art form of opera vital and relevant.”
Patrons are invited to enjoy a different, but immersive theatre experience, in the company of world-class singers as seating for this production is onstage and not in the auditorium. On Thursday, sign language interpreters will be in attendance to make the performance accessible to the deaf audience. There will also be specialised Deafblind interpreting services to ensure full participation by Deafblind audience members.
The pool of talents behind Four: 30 includes director Geoffrey Hyland ( The Application and Anti Laius); composer Robert Fokkens ( The Application); librettist Laurence Allan ( The Application); composer Adrian More ( Anti Lauis); librettist Joan Hambidge ( Anti Lauis), director Marcus Desando ( Bessie: The Blue-Eyed Xhosa and Blood is Mine); composer Angelique Mouyis ( Bessie: The Blue-Eyed Xhosa); librettist Mkhululi Mabija ( Bessie: The Blue-Eyed Xhosa); author Wame Molefhe ( Blood of Mine); composer Sibusiso Njeza ( The Blood is Mine) and librettist Janice Honeyman ( The Blood is Mine). Khan conducts the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
From the Cape of Storms to a ship wreck in the 1700s; from the death of a famous opera singer to the troublesome process to obtain a passport, Four:30 showcases South Africa’s freshest operatic talent, setting the tone for even-greater opera performances in 2016
l Tickets: R170, or R200 including cheese and wine during interval, 0861 915 8000.