Lifestyle News South Africa

Diversity performs at music festival in Beijing

The operatic-fusion group, Diversity, recently returned from their performance at the Chaoyang Pop Music Festival in Beijing, China, where the singers were widely hailed as a hit. The week-long festival is a massive convergence of the biggest acts in China and from around the world.

The Diversity show is performed by four singers - all equally adept at tackling a wide variety of music, while continually enthralling the audience with their powerful voices and their endearing antics on stage. The group performed to large crowds throughout the festival, making new fans from around the world.

The festival was a highlight for the group, who have been performing together for a number of years. Yudi Cohen (tenor), Zebulon Mmusi (bass-baritone), Mkhanyiseli Mlombi (baritone) and Khanyiso Gwenxane (baritone), who have all performed extensively on the local and international stage, joined forces in 2009 with the common goal of celebrating the beauty of our country, the uniqueness of our people and our diversity through music.

Main goal is to promote SA

The format of Diversity's performances are light-hearted and fun. They seamlessly fuse traditional African music into full operatic arias in a matter of a few notes - taking audiences on a musical rollercoaster-ride. All the while uniting musical forms that one would not necessarily group together.

"This fusion element is central to what we had in mind when we created the Diversity-project," says Yudi Cohen, CEO of Glasscopy Productions, the production company behind this operatic triumph. "Our main goal is to promote a positive South Africa and to unite its audiences of diverse cultures through music - the common language of humanity."

This commitment is underlined by Glasscopy Production's aim to create sustainable work for classically trained singers in South Africa. "We create the platform for artists from different backgrounds to earn a living and to work together towards a common goal - unity through music".

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