Cape Town City Ballet presents Mthuthuzeli November's Ingoma at Artscape in May
Mthuthuzeli November's Olivier award-winning Ingoma will make its South African premiere at the Artscape Theatre Centre from 19 May 2021. The ballet forms part of Cape Town City Ballet's autumn season.
“We are honoured to be presenting Ingoma, which has been extended to accommodate the Company of Cape Town City Ballet. With the staging of this ground-breaking work, we proudly celebrate the work of Mthuthuzeli in his home country,” says Debbie Turner, CEO of Cape Town City Ballet.
Commissioned by Cassa Pancho for Ballet Black in London, and choreographed by South African-born November, Ingoma collected prestigious awards including the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production as well as Best Dance Production at the Black British Theatre Awards following its premiere in 2019 at the Barbican Theatre and run at the Lindbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House.
Ingoma is a compelling fusion of ballet, African dance and song, engaging in a universal theme about being human and being true to yourself. Inspired by the artwork of Gerard Sekoto, most particularly the Song of the Pick and his Blue Head, it explores the milestone Witwatersrand miners’ strike of 1946; imagining the struggles of Black miners and their loved ones as thousands of miners bravely embarked on strike action for better wages.
South African Peter Johnson composed the music for the production, marking his third collaboration with November after Cape Dance Company’s Visceral and Sun. Asisipho Malunga completes the creative team as dramaturge and vocalist.
Les Sylphides
In juxtaposition to this powerful, visceral work, audiences will be able to enjoy the pastoral fantasy of Les Sylphides. Sylphs of imaginary spirits dance in the moonlight with the ‘poet’ to the exquisite composition of Frederic Chopin.
This quintessential romantic reverie with choreography by Mikhail Fokine will be staged by British ballet luminary Lynn Wallis, who was artistic director of the Royal Academy of Dance for 22 years and who has worked with companies such as the National Ballet of Canada and English National Ballet. In 2015, Wallis was awarded an OBE for services to dance.
Lêusson Muniz and Leané Theunissen in Les Sylphides - © Oscar o Ryan
Mikayla Isaacs in Ingoma - © Oscar o Ryan
Cape Town City Ballet – Back On Stage
Audiences can enjoy the second programme of breathtaking classical and neo-classical ballet with the return of Cape Town City Ballet – Back On Stage following sold-out houses in Cape Town and Durban.
The double-bill features George Balanchine’s Serenade, performed to music by Tchaikovsky and staged by Rebecca Metzger for The George Balanchine Foundation.
It is accompanied by Moon Behind The Clouds, a suite of works made during the time of Covid-19, by leading South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Kirsten Isenberg, Yaseen Manuel, Lindy Raizenberg and Marlin Zoutman. The lyrical dancing and moving imagery is laced together through the timeless text of Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata, narrated by acclaimed performer Marcel Meyer. Nathalie Vijver is the dramaturg for the work.
The lighting design for the autumn season is by Wilhelm Disbergen.
The performances in the Artscape Opera House will be strictly limited to 250 seats due to social distancing. Bookings can be made at Artscape Dial-a-seat 021 421 7695 or through Computicket.
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