Lovers of opera and jazz music treated to an
excellent concert which was greeted with delight from a highly enthusiastic
audience. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Last Sunday, April 14, 2019, lovers of opera and
jazz music were treated to an excellent concert which was greeted with delight
from a highly enthusiastic audience.
Luthando Qave, Reuben Mbonambi,Sibabalwe Yoko & Khayakazi Madlala
Taking place at the Durban Jewish Centre, Durban Opera Potpourri was born of a project
initiated by Friends of Music and iGrandi Tenori, a fast-growing group of
tenors headed by Kwazi Mhlongo.
“South Africans have invaded the classical music
sphere beyond imagination with apparent international achievement. However, we
are still faced with the realism of fund-less craft. Our universities are
flooding with aspiring young practitioners who upon graduating enter a
non-existing industry. Due to the tremendous deterioration of reserves that
help sustain this area of interest, artists are seeking sustainability in
European countries,” says Kwazi Mhlongo, director of iGrandi Tenori.
Phindile Cele; Owen Metsileng; Sbani Mwelase & Kananelo Sehau
(Owen Boikhutso Metsileng, who is based in Belgium, will be representing
South Africa at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2019)
Several opera companies in South Africa have had
to close down due to financial hindrances and others are facing an uncertain
future.
“It is through initiatives like Durban Opera Potpourri that we seek to
create a market for all professionals in the field of classical music, within
the parameters of eThekwini and beyond. Our towering wish is for opera artists
and graduates to be created a market where they can operate and contribute to
the economy of the country without having to cross borders. We also wish to
expand the financial support base for opera artists who continue to raise the
South African flag to even greater heights in international singing
competitions,” adds Mhlongo.
Mlindi Pato; Sibongile Mthiyane; Dorh Mfayela;& S'bongile Mntambo
The impressive line-up featured Luthando Qave
(baritone); Reuben Mbonambi (bass); Sibabalwe Yoko (tenor); Khayakazi Madlala (soprano);
Phindile Cele (mezzo-soprano); Owen Metsileng (tenor); Sbani Mwelase (baritone);
Kananelo Sehau (tenor); Mlindi Pato (tenor); Sibongile Mthiyane (mezzo-soprano);
Dorh Mfayela (soprano), and S'bongile Mntambo (soprano).
There were three parts to the programme – the
first and third devoted to opera and the second section featured the inimitable
Melvin Peters and his quartet. Included in the pieces they played was a work
written by Peters himself and, in keeping with the opera focus of the concert,
a re-made version of Bach’s Air on a G String.
Mhlongo continues: “Part of our main objective
is to eradicate the wall of dichotomy between classical music and other genres,
to foster collaboration, specifically with complementing genres like jazz
music, to promote the love of opera music, and to inevitably defeat the
loose-ends that oppose the survival of classical music in the country.”
Highlights for me were Luthando Qave’s powerful Prologue
from Pagliacci; Kananelo Sehau’s dramatic
Forse la soglia from Un ballo in maschera; Sbani Mwelase’s
emotional Or dove fuggo lo mai from I Puritani; and Deserto sulla terra from Il
Trovatore by Phindile Cele, Luthando Qave and Kananelo Sehau.
Professor David Smith provided his usual
excellent and sympathetic piano accompaniment to the opera sections. The
production director was Sanele Mkhize.
Congratulations on an excellent concert to all
stakeholders; Ikusasa LeAfrika Foundation, Friends of Music, Jazz Xpression,
CingPro, the KZN Department of Arts & Culture, Diemersfontein, and the
eThekwini Municipality.
I sincerely this hope this won’t be the last
time Durban sees a concert of this high quality of operatic music. – Caroline
Smart
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