Wednesday 15 December 2004

This site will be updated on 22 December 2004.

Arts - Kunste

• A Cape Christmas
• Kom kap dit uit!
• Carol in the Christmas season
• African Sanctus at Spier

CELEBRATING a Cape Christmas is a full choral arrangement of the best-known carols and songs to be performed in celebration of Christmas at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre from tonight to Friday night at 20:15.

The Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town under conductor Magaret Barlow will perform various Christmas carols from around the world. 

This will be accompanied by the Solid Brass Quintet featuring Michael Blake and David Thompson (trumpets), Peter Amon (horn), William Haubrich (trombone) and Nick Green on the bass trombone.

For bookings and information call the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre on 809-7380. Parking is free. 

For information about the new Oude Libertas Amphitheatre summer season visit www.oudelibertas.co.za.

AS jy al ooit gewonder het hoekom die musiekgroepe van toeka se dae as die Groot Orkeste (Big Bands) bekend gestaan het, terwyl die groepe wat jy deesdae oor die radio hoor sommer net bloot orkeste genoem word - hier is jou kans om die verskil te hoor!

Die Kaapse Filharmoniese Orkes bied op Sondag 19 Desember om 20:00 in die Kunstekaap Opera 'n eenmalige konsert aan met treffers van die Groot Orkeste van weleer.

Die dirigent is George Michie. Die soliste Leslie Klein Smith en Melanie Scholtz sal bykomende bekoring aan die konsert gee.

Kaartjies is verkrygbaar van Computicket, die Kunstekaap se besprekings- kantoor of Kunstekaap se Bel-'n-Sitplek by 421-7695.

THE Sunset Christmas Carols at Spier will feature Die Wynland Koor, The Harry Gwala High School Choir and The Cape Town Opera Vocal Ensemble under the direction of recognised South African conductor, Richard Cock.

The Sunset Christmas Carols will be showing on the banks of the Eerste River on the Spier Estate on Monday 20 December at 19:30.

Richard Cock, esteemed conductor and musical director, has become well known for his rousing festival of carols around the country.

The Sunset Christmas Carols maintains its reputation with an evening performance including a one hundred piece massed choir and the dazzling Cape Brass Ensemble.

The Harry Gwala School Choir in Khayelitsha was established in 2001 by Mhlalifi Mungeka.

The Cape Town Opera Vocal Ensemble is recognised for the high artistic and production standards it has set over the past 28 years.

Hennie van der Merwe started Die Wynland Koor in 1998 in Wellington. He initially led the church choir in recitals and invited the community to join the choir.

The response was so enthusiastic that the Die Wynland Koor was established separately from the church.

Hennie said, "The establishment of the choir came from the members themselves. They enjoyed the recitals and asked to form a choir."

There are about 48 to 50 choir members ranging in age from 25 to 85. "We even have one member who is 88," remarked Hennie. Although the group has performed Songs of Praise under Richard Cock before, this is their first performance at Spier. 

Food and drinks will be on sale at the Sunset Carols and picnic baskets can be ordered 48 hours in advance. It is a great outing for families, so bring blankets and cushions and spread the holiday cheer, but be sure to arrive early to nab the best spot.

Bookings can be made through the Box Office on 809-1177, or email boxoffice@spierarts.org.za.

AFRICAN SANCTUS will be presented at the Spier amphitheatre on Friday and Saturday at 20:30.

African Sanctus has received international recognition for its collaboration of music, dance, song culture and faith.

The unorthodox backdrop for this symposium is the Latin mass, which is injected with an African pulse of rhythm and song.

David Fanshawe used his personal travels in Central and North Africa in the late 60s and 70s to inspire the unique score to this traditional setting.

The rhythmic beats of our fellow African nations in Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya are complemented with live chorus and soprano soloist from the Cape Town Opera Chorus and established South African musician Dizu Plaatjies.

The instrumental ensemble is conducted and directed by Richard Cock with the dance choreographed by Adele Blank.

Performer Dizu Plaatjies is the founder and former leader of South Africa's internationally celebrated narimba group, Amapondo, which he led to local and international stages. He is a multi-instrumentalist and mixes various traditional African instruments and songs with his original lyrics and melodies creating a new fusion of traditional sounds.

African Sanctus is said to capture the spiritual soul of music and enliven the visual and aural senses while resonating a tangible energy through dance from the Freeflight Dance Company under the guidance of Adele Blank, one of South Africa's leading choreographers.

Fanshawe says of this musical journey, "I imagined a western choir singing the Islamic 'Call to Prayer' and was determined to combine faith and music to reflect this idea of One Music - One God."

Bookings can be made on tel 809-1177 or email to
boxoffice@spierarts.org.za.

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Tel: (021) 871-1170 - e-mail: edit@paarlpost.co.za  

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