Closing ceremony of the French Season in South Africa 2012. (Review by
Keith Millar)
Durbanites in their thousands descended on the central city on Saturday
night to enjoy the France-South Africa Seasons 2012 & 2013 closing ceremony,
the undoubted highlight of which was the magical, breath taking aerial
spectacular, Angels’ Place (Place des
Anges).
The purpose of the France–South Africa Seasons 2012 & 2013 is to strengthen
ties, create new relationships and promote mutual understandings with each
other in the fields of arts and culture, science, technology, tourism, trade,
education and sport.
The French programme included over 120 events from concerts to
exhibitions which took place across the breadth of South Africa over the past
five months. During 2013, it will be South Africa’s turn to reciprocate when
they have to opportunity to display their rich cultural diversity in France.
The closing ceremony started with a delightful concert in the Durban
City Hall featuring the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, along with
soloists and choirs. Conducting duties were shared by Johan Farjot from France
and Naum Rousine. The programme offered the enthusiastic audience a bit of
everything from opera to jazz and some great choral works.
Without a doubt, the star of the show was French soprano Nathalie
Manfrino. She is a very good-looking woman who could pass for a super model or a
film star. However, she showed with her rich and pure voice that she has a wonderful
talent to go with her looks. Resplendent in a black ball gown with red trim she
delivered Bellini’s Norma: Casta Diva,
Verdi’s La Forza del Destino: Pace, Pace
and Gounod’s Faust: Jewel Song with
power and beauty.
Three of Durban’s top choirs, Africa Chorus, SA Singers and the Clermont
Community Choir, appeared on the bill and gave rousing performances of works
from Bellini, Rossini and Bizet.
Then it was the turn of South African singer Gloria Bosman who sang
Jerome Kern’s Smoke Gets in your Eyes
and African Suite.
Finally we were treated to the extraordinary and powerful sound of the
massed choirs and an enhanced orchestra going full bore with two South African
compositions, Khumalo’s (arranged Maxym) Izibongo
zikaShaka from uShaka and Kuhle Kwethu from Ngqayizvele composed by Mnomiya.
Then it was time to move outside to witness the amazing and glorious Angel’s Place (Place Des Anges arial act
by France’s Studios de Cirque.
On arriving at the City Hall earlier in the evening, one could not help
but notice the network of cables running high in the sky from the top of the
high rise buildings in Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Street, Anton Lembede (Smith)
Street and Dorothy Nyembe (Gardiner) Street, and across the gardens to the City
Hall.
Along these zip lines floated, flew and glided the angels of Studios de
Cirque. To the sounds of loud, dramatic music and illuminated against the night
sky by powerful follow-spots and colourful rotating lights, they all trailed enormous
plumes of feathers.
For an half an hour, the crowd of all ages and cultures shouted in excitement
and joy as the angelic trapeze artists released a seemingly endless cascade of
feathers which floated down like a snow storm. To add to the blizzard,
industrial blowers on the ground were used to blast huge columns of feathers
into the sky.
Eventually the entire precinct was covered in a layer of feathers
several inches deep and the angels returned to earth to join the crowds in a
carefree and joyous party.
This was a unique event and a fitting tribute to the French Season in
South Africa. – Keith Millar
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