Category: Music

A FEAST OF THE OPULENT 25/26 MET OPERA SEASON TO BE SCREENED AT STER KINEKOR AND NOUVEAU CINEMAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FROM THIS WEEKEND

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DIANE DE BEER shares the details:

Screened exclusively at Ster-Kinekor cinemas, with select livestreams at V&A Waterfront

Deborah Nansteel as Teresa, Nadine Sierra as Amina, Sydney Mancasola as Lisa, Xabier Anduaga as Elvino, and Nicholas Newton as Alessio in Bellini’s “La Sonnambula.” Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

It’s time for the 25/26 Met Opera season and what a spectacular worldwide season they’ve put together for the  opera cognoscenti including South African opera enthusiasts.

This is the 18th Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts and will locally be seen exclusively at select Ster-Kinekor and Cinema Nouveau cinemas.

With eight productions screening from this Sunday to mid-June 2026, the 2025-26 Live in HD season features one premiere, three new productions of much-loved operas and four revivals.

“With The Met: Live in HD productions screening in our cinemas, local audiences get to experience some of the world’s best-loved opera productions in a near-live situation, from The Met’s opulent stage to our big screens. The theatre-like setting enables cinemagoers to become an extension of the live production’s audience, making these world-class productions from the Met in New York accessible to anyone who enjoys and appreciates great opera,” says Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer at Ster-Kinekor Theatres.

“What began as an experiment 18 years ago has become a staple experience for opera lovers all over the world,” said Peter Gelb, the Met’s Maria Manetti Shrem General Manager.

“Our 2025–26 season in cinemas reflects how opera is changing at the Met, where we’re balancing timeless classics with accessible new work that is advancing the art form and attracting younger and more diverse audiences.”

Don’t miss this world-class opera production, filmed and transmitted from the Met stage to the big screen at Cinema Nouveau and select Ster-Kinekor cinemas: Eastgate and Rosebank Nouveau in Johannesburg; Brooklyn in Tshwane; Watercrest in Hillcrest, KZN; Garden Route in George; Somerset in Somerset West; and Blue Route and V&A Waterfront (with live streams) in Cape Town. Loyalty card discounts apply, as does Ster-Kinekor’s Half-Price Tuesdays ticket price offering.

Bookings are open, with each production limited to two screenings only. Book your tickets now on the new-look Ster-Kinekor website at www.sterkinekor.com or download the new SK App on your smartphone. For news and updates, go to Facebook: Ster-Kinekor Theatres | follow Ster-Kinekor on Twitter: @Ster-Kinekor. For all queries, call Ticketline on 0861-Movies (668 437).

Here is the 2025-26 Met: Live in HD season at a glance, hold on to the programme for bookings:

Nadine Sierra as Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula. Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

La Sonnambula – Bellini  (new production)

Screening dates:  02 and 04 November 2025 (3h 15min)

Music by Vincenzo Bellini | Libretto by Felice Romani

Conductor: Riccardo Frizza

Cast: Amina – Nadine Sierra; Lisa – Sydney Mancasola; Elvino – Xabier Anduaga; Rodolfo – Alexander Vinogradov

Roméo et Juliette, Verdi’s La Traviata, and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Nadine Sierra (seen in previous seasons of Roméo et Juliette, Verdi’s La Traviata, and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor) summits another peak of the soprano repertoire as Amina, who sleepwalks her way into audiences’ hearts in Bellini’s poignant tale of love lost and found.

In this new production, Rolando Villazón—the tenor who has embarked on a brilliant second career as a director—retains the opera’s original setting in the Swiss Alps but uses its somnambulant plot to explore the emotional and psychological valleys of the mind.

Tenor Xabier Anduaga co-stars as Amina’s fiancé, Elvino, alongside soprano Sydney Mancasola as her rival, Lisa, and bass Alexander Vinogradov as Count Rodolfo. Riccardo Frizza takes the podium for one of opera’s most ravishing works.

Juliana Grigoryan as Mimì and Freddie De Tommaso as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème. Photo: Karen Almond / Met Opera

La Bohème – Puccini (revival)

Screening dates:  08 November (livestream at V&A Waterfront); 23 and 25 November 2025

(3h 29min)

Music by Giacomo Puccini | Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Conductor: Keri-Lynn Wilson   |   Production:  Franco Zeffirelli

Cast:  Mimì – Juliana Grigoryan; Musetta -Heidi Stober; Rodolfo – Freddie De Tommaso; Marcello – Lucas Meachem; Schaunard – Sean Michael Plumb; Colline – Jongmin Park; Benoit/Alcindoro – Donald Maxwell

With its enchanting setting and spellbinding score, the world’s most popular opera is as timeless as it is heartbreaking. Franco Zeffirelli’s picture-perfect production brings 19th-century Paris to the Met stage as Puccini’s young friends and lovers navigate the joy and struggle of bohemian life. Soprano Juliana Grigoryan is the feeble seamstress Mimì, opposite tenor Freddie De Tommaso as the ardent poet Rodolfo. Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts the 08 November performance, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas worldwide, including at Ster-Kinekor V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

A scene from Strauss’s Arabella. Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Arabella – Strauss (revival)

Screening dates:  07 and 09 December 2025

(4h 12min)

Music by Richard Strauss | Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Conductor:  Nicholas Carter

Cast:  Arabella – Rachel Willis-Sørensen; Zdenka – Louise Alder; Matteo – Pavol Breslik; Mandryka – Tomasz Konieczny; Waldner – Brindley Sherratt

Strauss’s elegant romance brings the glamour and enchantment of 19th-century Vienna to cinemas worldwide in a sumptuous production by legendary director Otto Schenk that “is as beautiful as one could hope” (The New York Times). Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen stars as the title heroine, a young noblewoman in search of love on her own terms. Radiant soprano Louise Alder is her sister, Zdenka, and bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny is the dashing count who sweeps Arabella off her feet.

Soprano Sonya Yoncheva A scene from Giordano’s Andrea Chénier. Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Andrea Chénier – Giordano (revival)

Screening dates:  13 December 2025 (livestream at V&A Waterfront); 04 and 06 January 2026

(3h 31min)

Music by Umberto Giordano | Libretto by Luigi Illica

Conductor:  Daniele Rustioni

Cast:  Maddalena di Coigny – Sonya Yoncheva; Andrea Chénier – Piotr Beczała; Carlo Gérard – Igor Golovatenko

Giordano’s passionate tragedy stars tenor Piotr Beczała as the virtuous poet who falls victim to the intrigue and violence of the French Revolution. Following their celebrated recent partnership in Giordano’s Fedora in the 2022–23 Live in HD season, Beczała reunites with soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Chénier’s aristocratic lover, Maddalena di Coigny, with baritone Igor Golovatenko as Carlo Gérard, the agent of the Reign of Terror who seals their fates. Met Principal Guest Conductor Daniele Rustioni takes the podium to lead Nicolas Joël’s gripping staging.

Lisette Oropesa as Elvira in Bellini’s I Puritani. Photo: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera

I Puritani – Bellini (new production)

Screening dates:  10 January (livestream at V&A Waterfront); 08 and 10 February 2026

(3h 31min)

Music by Vincenzo Bellini | Libretto by Carlo Pepoli

Conductor:  Marco Armiliato

Cast:  Elvira Walton – Lisette Oropesa; Lord Arturo Talbot – Lawrence Brownlee; Riccardo Forth – Artur Ruciński; Giorgio Walton – Christian Van Horn

For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals. The first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years – a striking staging by Charles Edwards, who makes his company directorial debut after many successes as a set designer – arrives in cinemas worldwide. The Met has assembled a world-beating quartet of stars, conducted by Marco Armiliato, for the demanding principal roles. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee are Elvira and Arturo, brought together by love and torn apart by the political rifts of the English Civil War, with baritone Artur Ruciński as Riccardo, betrothed to Elvira against her will, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Elvira’s sympathetic uncle, Giorgio.

Lise Davidsen as Isolde in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Photo: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera

Tristan und Isolde – Wagner (new production)

Screening dates:  05 and 07 April 2026

(5h 12min)

Music by Richard Wagner | Libretto by the composer

Conductor:  Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Cast:  Isolde – Lise Davidsen; Brangäne – Ekaterina Gubanova; Tristan – Michael Spyres; Kurwenal – Tomasz Konieczny; King Marke – Ryan Speedo Green

After years of anticipation, a truly unmissable event arrives in cinemas as the electrifying Lise Davidsen tackles one of the ultimate roles for dramatic soprano: the Irish princess Isolde in Wagner’s transcendent meditation on love and death. Heroic tenor Michael Spyres stars opposite Davidsen as the love-drunk Tristan. The momentous occasion also marks the advent of a new, Met-debut staging by Yuval Sharon – hailed by The New York Times as “the most visionary opera director of his generation” and the first American to direct an opera at the famed Wagner festival in Bayreuth, as well as Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s first time leading Tristan und Isolde at the Met. Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova reprises her portrayal of Brangäne, alongside bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, who sings Kurwenal after celebrated Met appearances in Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer and Ring cycle. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green makes an important role debut as King Marke.

Soprano Asmik Grigorian A scene from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera

Eugene Onegin – Tchaikovsky (revival)

Screening dates:  02 May (livestream at V&A Waterfront); 17 and 19 May 2026

(4h 05min)

Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Libretto by the composer and Konstantin Stepanovich Shilovsky

Conductor:  Timur Zangiev*

Cast:  Tatiana – Asmik Grigorian; Olga – Maria Barakova; Filippyevna – Stephanie Blythe; Lenski – Stanislas de Barbeyrac; Eugene Onegin – Igor Golovatenko; Prince Gremin – Alexander Tsymbalyuk

Following her acclaimed 2024 company debut in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, soprano Asmik Grigorian returns to the Met as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in this ardent operatic adaptation of Pushkin, which will be transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera stage to cinemas worldwide on 02 May, including at Ster-Kinekor V&A Waterfront, on 02 May. Baritone Igor Golovatenko reprises his portrayal of the urbane Onegin, who realises his affection for her all too late. The Met’s evocative production, directed by Tony Award–winner Deborah Warner, “offers a beautifully detailed reading of … Tchaikovsky’s lyrical romance” (The Telegraph).

El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego – Frank (Metropolitan Opera premiere)

3 / 5

A set design by Jon Bausor for the Met premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego.

Screening dates:  30 May (livestream at V&A Waterfront); 14 and 16 June 2026

(2h 48min)

Music by Gabriela Lena Frank* | Libretto by Nilo Cruz*

Conductor:  Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Cast:  Catrina – Gabriella Reyesl; Frida – Isabel Leonard; Leonardo – Nils Wanderer;  Diego – Carlos Álvarez

A scene from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera

On 30 May, the Metropolitan Opera’s 2025–26 Live in HD season comes to a close with a live transmission (only at V&A Waterfront) of American composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s first opera, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, with libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Nilo Cruz. Fashioned as a reversal of the Orpheus and Euridice myth, the story depicts Frida, sung by leading mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, leaving the underworld on the Day of the Dead and reuniting with Diego, portrayed by baritone Carlos Álvarez. The famously feuding pair briefly relive their tumultuous love, embracing both the passion and the pain before bidding the land of the living a final farewell. Music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Met-premiere staging of Frank’s opera, a “confident, richly imagined score” (The New Yorker) that “bursts with colour and fresh individuality” (Los Angeles Times). This vibrant new production, taking enthusiastic inspiration from Frida and Diego’s paintings, is directed and choreographed by Deborah Colker.

WITH A ROBUST PRODUCTION TEAM AND VIBRANT CAST “JOSEPH” IS A RADIANT REVIVAL

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BY DIANE DE BEER

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TERCHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT BY TIM RICE AND LLOYD WEBBER

DIRECTOR: Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander

CHOREOGRAPHER: Duane Alexander and Jared Schaedler

MUSICAL SUPERVISOR: Charl-Johan Lingenfelder

MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Amy Campbell

SET, COSTUMES AND PROP DESIGN: Niall Griffin

LIGHTING DESIGN: Oliver Hauser

SOUND DESIGN: David Classen

PRODUCERS: Pieter Toerien and Lamta

CAST: Lelo Ramasimong (narrator), Dylan Janse van Rensburg (Joseph), Chris Jaftha (Jacob/Potiphar/Pharaoh)

DATES: Until the end of September

This iconic musical had its first performances 50 years ago and if we take the current revivals, it’s still going strong. And with reason.

It’s always worth watching what Luitingh, Alexander, Lingenfelder, Griffin and Hauser are doing. They know how to breathe new life into what might have become a tired musical without losing its soul.

It’s a young and exciting cast who are being given wonderful opportunities to shine but they have also been gifted the tools to make it work.

From start to finish, the clarity of what they wanted to present and achieve was clear and that’s a joy to behold.

From the clever and uncluttered design which works in these smaller theatres to the choreography which flows and adds to the energy, everything is thought through and then executed to perfection. There’s just no leeway for things to go wrong.

Even when it comes to the look, it’s the way they have selected the costumes. Many were bought rather than freshly designed and, in this instance, a good choice not opting for the traditional dungerees the brothers more typically used to wear.

The only one that had me flummoxed was the narrator. Ramasimong’s blue jeans and shirt with the oddest jersey/jacket was an eyesore rather than using some imagination. Perhaps just a simple flowing robe would have had more impact. She plays a major role, is probably the one who has the most stage time and yet, she sticks out for the wrong reasons visually.

Fortunately she’s a marvelous performer and soars in her role as narrator. She has an unusual voice and a lovely stage presence. She knows this is where she belongs.

And so do the rest of the cast. One has to start with Janse van Rensburg’s Joseph, after all he is in the title role. It’s quite a responsibility on young shoulders in such an intimate large theatre. There’s nowhere to hide and if you don’t bring the goods as well as the charm, you’re in trouble. Janse Van Rensburg has already proved himself in challenging shows like Spring Awakening and he does it again here. He has a strong voice and a vulnerability that works in this part.

And someone who played his part in stealing some of the limelight is Jaftha, who had fun with his trio of roles as Jacob, Potiphar and in particular Pharaoh, the rocker who has a large moment in the musical which has rocketed other local actors (think Alvin Collison) to fame.

It’s a tricky role, but Jaftha has charisma and sass and was more than willing and able to step into any large shoes.

But as much as there are solo moments, it is a musical that involves the full cast because of the nature of the story – a bunch of brothers, for example – and then you have to balance that with the other roles.

If you’ve lived with a musical as long as I have with this one, it’s not easy to catch my attention. But I was stunned. I have seen a few musicals by this production team and I know they usually deliver. From the casting to the costume (bar one!) to the ensemble performances, the singing, the cast in full, it had a joyous feel about it in what can only be described as difficult times.

As well as the music, which was spirited into the new millenium as only Lingenfelder can do. “It was my third production of Joseph and I really didn’t want to do it,” he says. But when he was given the chance to pull the emphasis back to the story and to make sure everything worked for this time, he stepped on board. And it shows, with a score that’s as familiar as it is musically edgy. It’s something he achieves with astonishing regularity.

With the right people, that’s what entertainment can do in times of trouble. It offers respite and has you singing along with a bunch of brothers who hatch a plan to get rid of their father’s favourite son. An unlikely story but many decades ago a clever collaborating team started a much-envied partnership with this one as their first worldwide success.

And if you get it right, it still works. As it does in this latest version.

THERE’S NO WAY OF STOPPING THE CREATIVE NATANIËL, AN ARTIST CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE

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Nataniël is on the go – again – and it was time for DIANE DE BEER to pop in and find out more about upcoming shows, events and anything else happening in this prolific artist’s life:

What is keeping him up at night and awake at the crack of dawn is the work on his latest podcast series, which has become yet another of his performance features since his first series a while back. Kwessie van die Dag, his brand-new video column, starts on August 4 on Netwerk24.

As with anything he does, Nataniël approaches these latest podcasts with everything he’s got. “It’s as much work as a TV series,” he notes. And for this perfectionist, it is. He simply cannot do things haphazardly, with quality a constant taskmaster.

He is aware that everybody has turned to podcasts and his will be the best. This isn’t boasting because he is genius when it comes to storytelling. There’s no competing with this conversationalist.

It is all about the words which he has to learn by heart – 3 000 a week! They are his words, he has written each one, but then he has to get them tripping off the tongue. While it comes easily, he believes in scripts and knows exactly what he has to do and how he wants it to sound. So while there are many copycats, few can master him at his craft.

I often see pieces written by “Nataniël”, but it’s easy to spot when someone tries to capture his style because it is so unique. And this is where his podcast will pass with flying colours. “I don’t like waffling,” he says as he launches an attack on what he has labelled “electronic pollution”!

“There’s enough rubbish around.” He has an opinion which his followers will be familiar with, but he also loves facts when he is dealing in a specific subject. One of the many hurdles is the battle of language. He will be speaking in Afrikaans and to capture a language in this way is fraught with many pitfalls especially the way we mix our languages in our daily conversations.

It is clear that this is his latest challenge but also part of the excitement that charges his existence.

He is always busy creating and many of the things might seem as though they have a familiar pattern which, if you study them, they don’t. Into that mix, he is also constantly injecting new accomplishments which keep him on his toes.

“Everyone invites me to be a guest on their podcasts.” But for him there is a specific reason to engage with people in this fashion. “I want to address issues and for me it is about inspiration.”

BOEK • BYBEL • BIOSKOOP is the title of the show he is doing with organist Zorada Termmingh, a friend from varsity, together with his accompanist, pianist Charl du Plessis. Knowing something about his creative mind, he will be pulling all their respective talents together in a spectacular bouquet.

We’re in August and it is all about women. Composers, writers, singers, designers, as well as timeless characters from movies, classic literature, Biblical tales, art and theatre are their inspiration in this colourful show full of stories and songs. Zorada and Nataniël have performed on stage many times, starting during their student years. Charl has been his accompanist (apart from establishing his own career as a solo artist and performing with the Charl du Plessis Trio) for the past 25 years. And this is not the first outing for this trio of consummate performers.

It is a one-off in the capital city on August 13 at 7pm and the Ned Geref Universiteitsoord Kerk. The show is 90 minutes (more or less) long.

In September he returns to one of his most ambitious projects, Mass for the Good Princes (recently released on CD), which will be performed in the Cape for the first time thanks to the goodwill of the Atterbury Trust.

It’s a double whammy for Nataniël –  one of both joy and hysteria. This was one of those accomplishments he had dreamt of for a very long time. Writing it was an almost impossible feat with his kind of schedule, and with each performance he has to once again memorise the Latin text, which is a killer.

This will be the 3rd time that he attempts this daunting exercise and while it stretches even his seemingly limitless determination, he can’t resist it. It is based on the classical structure of a Latin church mass with a sacred composition by Nataniël in six parts which includes a prayer for goodness, new leadership and the hope of a new generation. It will be sung in English and Latin with descriptions and translations in Afrikaans.

It will be presented at the Ned Geref Welgemoed Church on Saturday September 20 at 5pm. He will be joined by the Charl du Plessis Trio (Charl with Werner Spies and Peter Auret) as well as organist Ockie Vermeulen, guitarist Luke van der Merwe and the Akustika Chamber Choir led by Christo Burger.

In March this year, Nataniël and Charl celebrated 25 years on stage together and they seal this with a Gala Concert at Aardklop – on October 7 (7pm) and October 8 (10 am) in the University of Potchefstroom Auditorium.

This won’t be an ordinary concert. These two artists haven’t only shared 25 years on stage and many kilometres of travel through the South African countryside for one-off shows, but this was also the start of Charl’s stage career, which has been quite stunning to witness from the start – one he has since established both nationally and internationally – a feat for someone who started out as a classical pianist (one of the most difficult careers to pursue) and accompanist. Today he has a doctorate and is celebrated as both a classical and jazz artist. I can’t wait to see these two face off on stage on equal footing. For those fortunate enough to see one of these concerts, I predict something unique.

Nataniël is already making promises that this won’t be a rundown of what they have already accomplished. They will be celebrating today and tomorrow. “Who are we now and how do we see the future” will be their aim.

“Why would we return to the past? That’s done and we have all been there.” And in typical Nataniël fashion he predicts: “I want to hear an intake of breath when I walk on stage!”

As he so astutely confirms, it will be 70 years of experience when the two of them mark their stage partnership.

While talking partnerships and friendships, one of his closest friends, actress/comedian Marion Holm, will be interviewing Nataniël on his latest book of short stories titled Sweetie. Book discussions aren’t his favourite, but if he has to do it, Marion would be his choice. “She can physically shut me up just by barking.” You’ll have to be there to understand exactly what that means. They go way back and to experience these two like-minded actors sparring verbally, you don’t want to miss that. They’re a scream individually, together it’s an exuberance.

Your ticket will be a copy of Sweetie which can either be bought before the time or at the Exclusive Pop-Up in the book tent. The first 200 people with a book in hand will be allowed into the space, which will be closed off for this event. You won’t be able to listen in on the sidelines. The Sweetie discussion is going to be that exclusive and is happening on October 8 at 3pm at Aardklop.

And it’s not over yet by a long stretch. A photographer who for more than two decades documented Nataniël’s career, Clinton Lubbe, who immigrated a few years back, is back in town for an exhibition of life-size Nataniël pictures titled Parade, another first for Aardklop. Their collaboration has also been running for more than two decades and Nataniël describes Clinton’s camera as a paintbrush, because of the way he creates pictures. They’re not simply pictures, they’re artworks, he notes. “I’m going to be the Naomi Campbell of Aardklop,” he says with a smile and a wink.

Finally, but just for the moment, there’s his latest production, Catch Me, Love, which will be staged at Artscape from November 13 to 16. He is already busy writing, which is unheard of. He usually works on his scripts much closer to his performance than a few months, but looking at his schedule, he knew he had to get ahead.

This one is going to be visually and structurally different to his former shows, he says. And although it is still early days, I know he has already dreamt and planned it in detail. It will only feature in Gauteng in the New Year because in-between there’s the promise of a French countryside holiday, his annual escape (when he can manage) to one of his favourite places, which is what motivates him these days.

Watch this space for fresh announcements or changes. They will be coming …

MAGIC ON STAGE IN THE MOON LOOKS DELICIOUS FROM HERE

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

Pictures: Hoek Swaratlhe

THE MOON LOOKS DELICIOUS FROM HERE

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED: Aldo Brincat

DIRECTOR: Sjaka September

VENUE: Market Theatre

DATES: July 27

DURATION: 70 minutes

In the programme notes online it says that this play is a masterclass in writing and performance – and that is exactly what it is. And the aspects that I found most intriguing as being a born South African, I have been dealing and watched others sharing their trauma in this country for many decades.

Some similarities especially in text will occur, but I am passionate about people creating theatre – especially solo theatre.

Having to travel from Pretoria for most of my theatre, I consider very carefully which plays I want to see whether good or bad, just work that will appeal to me. And this is where theatre sometimes becomes problematic. If you are going to see a play that is 70 minutes long, it becomes a money issue. It has to. Time and travel become a worry.

So I have started coming up with fresh solutions to make my choices easier. With this one, I had already booked for a new musical opening and I thought I could slip this short prodcution into the mix without any difficulty. I see many more plays on one day when attending a festival. And that is what I did and will do more of in the future when the problem rears its head.

Brincat, who is a first generation South African, is described in many different ways and with many accomplished skills from acting, juggling and magic artistry to fine art, chef, writing and producing one-man shows, it seems.

But this is my first encounter as far as I can tell with this versatile artist. As he’s based in Cape Town and visits the National Arts Festival, while I am based in Pretoria and cover the Afrikaans festivals around the country, his work is unfamiliar to me.

The Moon Looks Delicious from Here is a man’s struggle with identity and finding his own place in what should be his world but isn’t always that straightforward is what he shares and struggles with.

It is familiar territory stretching from the ‘60s tot ’94, but it’s always interesting to discoverhow other people deal with issues that come up for many of us in different ways. It is also fascinating to see how others approach their work, especially when at play, as solo shows  can be limiting, depending on the content and how familiar you are with the subject.

He had me from beginning to end; engaging with his audience wasn’t an issue for him even with a most unusual mix on a Sunday afternoon. Half of the 100-plus theatre audience (and I’m guessing numbers) were elderly white couples and the other half were young (between 20 and 35) Black men and women. And throughout there was laughter from different quarters. It was a journey of remembrance for oldies and probably one of illumination for youngsters.

It would have been fascinating to have an audience talk after the show in this instance. This is Brincat sticking his toe in the water and it feels good. Hopefully he will be back so that we can get to know more of his work and his content.

THE BLACK CIRCUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BANTU IS ORIGINAL, LIFE CHANGING AND A JOY TO BEHOLD

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER:

THE BLACK CIRCUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BANTU

ARTIST: Albert Ibokwe Khoza

DIRECTOR: Princess Zinzi Mhlongo

DATES: June 26, 27, 28, 29

VENUE: Mannie Mannim Theatre at The Market

It’s explosive, it’s engaging, it plays with your mind (stretching it this way and that), it’s mesmerising, it sweeps your whole being along and most of all, it’s original and creative in a way that heightens all the senses. And then it shows you everything theatre can be.

Khoza is a presence not only with the theatricality of their costumes but especially with the way they move, speak, sing, chant and engage their audience from start to finish. There’s no time for your mind to wander or wonder, you’re simply in the moment as you participate in this experience that for most of us would be completely unique.

It’s ritual and rhythm, it’s engaging your whole being. This isn’t something you‘re watching, you’re participating on a level that is here and now. It’s theatre-in-the round with the performer, the one who is leading the way on this exploration of the past where human zoos and exhibitions in Western societies, our societies, turned people into curiosities to be paraded and exploited for the delight of white fetish. That is even difficult to write after seeing this play.

Especially for those of us on the oppressors’ side, while we gasp in horror at the stories, we know what our race has done to people because of the colour of their skin, have seen many plays and read many books about those times, yet, sadly it remains just that. It’s not as though your body can viscerally experience what that must have been like. It’s something that white people to this day never experience. They simply don’t have to navigate a world that plays by rules made for them … still.

How many times have you as a white body thought about how anything that you do on a specific day will be determined by the colour of your skin? Think of Trump’s world in today’s context for example. People are being rounded up and deported even with citizenship because of the way they look.

Khoza suggests that it is a history that is not spoken about and which they are determined to address so that those affected can reclaim, reflect and confront themselves as people. Because it is something that continues to this day, for them it is about the need for spiritual healing and reclaiming violated dignities.

The one thing all of us have felt in our lives is humiliation. For many it is an occasional thing that can be quickly discarded as you move on with your life. For others it is an institutionalized part of their life and there’s no escaping. The only requisite to fall prey to this is the colour of your skin. Everything in our lives to this day is determined by this. Think Black Lives Matter.

It is described as an installation-based performance and for me personally, it was as though my whole body had suddenly been awakened. I felt alerted to the way the world works. Was there anything said that I hadn’t heard before or didn’t know? How many times have I not experienced the Saartjie Baartman story, a woman torn from her family, stripped of her identity as a human being, taken from Africa to Europe and displayed for the Western world to view in a human zoo? We know and sympathise about the atrocities of the past. And again we wonder about those happening all around us, because they’re still there.

What The Black Circus does is change the perspective; it inhabits your body and soul in a way that takes you the the heart of the atrocities. For Khozait is a place of collective healing where the shackles are discarded, and a spiritual connection established.

It’s a difficult experience to write about because it is one to experience rather than to analyse. You want to enter the space knowing just the title.

At the beginning I felt as though I was sitting in a glorious painting. A story of some kind was going to unfold and as with most theatre, I was excited. What I got was so much more. It was unexpected, challenging in the way theatre should be, explosive in performance and presentation, and something that has changed my life. And that is what theatre should be.

I will be looking at and facing the world diffently.

DON’T SINN AGAINST YOUR BETTER SENSES TO SEE THE LATEST RYAN COOGLER EXTRAVAGANZA ON OUR SCREENS

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The latest Ryan Coogler movie Sinners is an off-the-charts invigorating experience.DIANE DE BEER speaks her mind:

Currently showing at Ster-Kinekor

Michael B Jordan and Miles Canton face their fears in Sinners

SINNERS

DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler

CAST: Michael B Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld, Lu Jun Li, Yao, Omar Benson Miller

If you are familiar with the movies Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther, you will also know the director as well as the star of Sinners. Apart from the fact that Coogler knows how to go big, work with issues and pick a star cast, everything else will be new.

Horror and vampires aren’t exactly my favourite genres, in fact, I avoid them, but here Coogler’s name was just too much of a draw. That and the fact that much of what he seemed to be aiming at in this film comes across like the themes in one of my favourite movies, Get Out.

Too many people like steering clear of issue-driven movies, but in our world where the divide is still so big in so many areas, as an older white film fanatic, I want to hear what the dynamic young black voices have to say; which stories they want to tell and also, how do they get those stories across.

That was what I was looking forward to in this one. The cast is huge and the actors are quite something. Coogler has worked with Jordan in most of his films and here he literally doubles up as the twin brothers Smoke and Stack (yip, that’s what they’re called). They’re equally dandily dressed, but their clothes, although similar, have distinctive features, and the one’s behaviour is more out there than the other’s. Fortunately, technology can pretty much perfectly deliver anything directors want these days.

Michael B Jordan and his friends stand together.

The rest of the cast are as cleverly picked and especially the two women, a stunningly statuesque Mosaku and the smouldering Steinfield, will knock your socks off with their performances. And if you don’t know the names, you will recognize them and after this movie, you will certainly also remember the names.

But everyone in the film impresses. The look and the style will grip you from start to finish and then you can add the music, which for me truly dominated in the best sense of the word. It is quite simply brilliant – both from the black brethren as well as the white trash.

The first are seriously into the blues and the latter have a more gentle, contained country folk sound. You will be rocking in your chair and the cast are seemingly given free rein to make those moves rhythmically magical. It’s one party you don’t want to miss.

The first half of the film is pretty much about the two brothers returning from Chicago where they have collected rolls and rolls of cash and boxes of Irish beer (courtesy Al Capone circa 1930) and returning to the Mississippi Delta (which already spells trouble), where they establish a juke joint in a rundown mill belonging to a supremacist landlord, who is only interested in the lucre and not the colour of their skin when he rents them the place … or so he says.

Then the hard labour begins as everybody gets ready to get the place rocking. As the night hovers on the horizon, when the sun sets the trouble begins.

Michael B Jordan and director Ryan Coogler discussing the scene about to be shot.

This is where it became a bit too much, as the seriously partying crowd are stopped in their tracks by a family of vampires who threaten to deliver them all into a permanent state of wandering.

And yet, those are all just the package in which this film is wrapped. What Coogler is really playing with is the grand divide which has been ongoing for millennia. Every time I questioned the rage and the explosive catastrophe that turns a festive night into a slaughter madness, I was reminded of the damage inflicted by their relentless savage treatment.

As always, critics differ, but here the critical thinking swings viciously from one end of the spectrum to the other – and I found myself on both sides in certain instances.

The originality was the standout feature for me. The epic extremes the director decided to launch when he truly wanted to make his point felt like the result of dealing with an unexplained hatred which has been raging for ages. And if you had to be on the receiving end of such constant humiliation, hardship and absence of humanity which have run through generations of your brothers and sisters, perhaps the results have to be of volcanic proportions.

I was wondering how many of especially the older generation would stomach this particular version but, for me, it is the weight of the story, the magnificence of the performances of especially the two female leads, the sublime singing, musicmaking and acting  by the young Miles Canton, the doubling up of the Jordan performances, or just to witness the making of the movie in this single instance, and the list goes on.

It didn’t all work for me, but as usual Coogan is epic in his filmmaking approach. Brace yourself, participate in the ride. Already the staff at Brooklyn Ster-Kinekor is saying it has been their busiest show yet. And techy podcaster Kara Swisher is celebrating the fact that Coogan negotiated good money on worldwide ticket sales as well as owning the intellectual property after a few years, something almost unheard of in Hollywood. Don’t miss the changing of the guard. It’s going to be one helluva wave – and perhaps just

A GREAT BEGINNING FOR 2025, THE KKNK FESTIVAL WAS A BRILLIANT SHOWCASE FOR THE ARTS

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Diversity was the element that dominated this year’s fantastic KKNK Festival (in Oudtshoorn at the beginning of the month) – from the audiences to the artists, also including the plays and performances. DIANE DE BEER reports:

PICTURES: Hans van der Veen (unless otherwise stated.)

On one day you could see a solo show, a play with both words and movement, a translated modern classic and a new work that will outlast some of us watching.

Yet as is often the case at this festival, theatre was what really captured the imagination – and true to the diversity theme, it played out in many ways.

For me it started with a bang with a piece titled Die Een Wat Bly (which can also be seen at the upcoming Cape Town Suidooster) with a cast consisting of the two talented dancers from Figure of 8 Dance Theatre (Grant van Ster and Shaun Oelf) who in this instance combined their extraordinary movement with the insightful words of Wessel Pretorius who seems to deliver an endless stream of brilliance. And the third member of this inspired cast is Daneel van der Walt who is an actor who has emerged these past few years as someone to watch.

Everything seemed to combine beautifully, from the story, how it was written, the excellence of the casting and the way movement underlined and emphasized every emotion so magnificently. I couldn’t resist catching it a second time and it confirmed my initial instincts that all the elements just flowed together seamlessly to present perfect theatre. I could easily watch it again … and again… and again.

In a different guise, Pretorius performed in Yasmina Reza’s translated text Kuns (which had previously been performed by two of the actors, also directed by Marthinus Basson in the English version titled Art). Pretorius and Wilhelm van der Walt (part of the former cast) were joined by Ludwig Binge in a play that satirises the often achingly precious way people view and talk about art.

Because of the NOW, a time where an anti-wokeness and fake news seem to dominate everything, it worked even better than the first time I saw it and with these three adventurous actors (all three Basson graduates who have established exciting theatre careers), it was perfect for this festival which always celebrates.

Basson also delighted with a play which has been on the circuit for a while, and I was thrilled to finally experience. Who would not be intrigued by a play titled Kruispad, of die legende van die goue vis.

Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht.

Again the casting blew me away with Eben Genis giving one of his finest performances in the role of the eccentric recluse Oswald whose life is rudely interrupted by two lost and rain-drenched youngsters played by two of the best, Edwin van der Walt and Carla Smith, with a glorious copper-coloured wig which completely changed her character without her having to say a word.

Because it plays with temptation and loyalty, it reminded me of the film Indecent Proposal in which Robert Redford offers to buy Demi Moore for a million dollars for the night.

Masterfully written and performed with great gusto you are never sure what is real or not, whether something is fact or fiction, and in fact when someone is being honest or not. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle that tortures and teases with a few disruptive detours that keep you slightly unbalanced as an audience.

There was so much more in the theatrical realm with solid performances in the Hennie van Greunen translated and directed Annie+Helen with Cintaine Schutte as Annie, the governess/teacher in the Hellen Keller story and Judi Hattingh as the severely damaged teenager who cannot see, hear or talk.

A mighty struggle ensues and from beginning to end, the two actors battle, and sometimes, bruise one another in a fight for something so much more than survival.

I have always been a huge fan when some of our younger directors (and he might take exception to that description) take on the classics, and I was excited to see Speelgoed van Glas translated, directed and designed by Nico Scheepers.

Casting was a further incentive with Annamart van der Merwe, Carla Smith, Ben Albertyn and Mark Elderkin on board, and was also alerted by all the awards they had already received, all of them thoroughly deserved. Van der Merwe’s bravura performance as the brittle mother is bruising as she embodies a woman who is desperately fighting to hold on to the only power available to her, that of motherhood (and in this instance also victimhood).

Her children, especially her son, have no such illusions and their confrontation reminds one of how a home which should be a protected space for a family can become a warzone which holds only fear and a frantic will of those threatened, to flee and find emotional freedom.

It’s devastating writing, smartly translated and, set in the present with a cast who have had the time to hone their craft and honour the play.

Also Die Potplant: ‘n Tragedie written and played by Karli Heine who changed what had previously been part of something now called Blitsteater into a longer piece had an interesting effect on me. It’s a wonderful idea with a script that’s inventive with underlying pathos – and yet, while it still had the impact and was cleverly stretched into a more comprehensive play, I think I preferred the shorter version.

It might have had something to do with the impact it had the first time round as well as having lost my heart to that version, I was more aware of the padding. Yet Heine is worth watching. She is someone that thinks out of the box as well as having the courage to take chances. You need all of that in this challenging profession.

Another joy at a festival is discovering new talent as well as witnessing the creativity of artists and how they find ways to explore their craft in a world with no boundaries yet many obstacles. Bibi Slippers, who can only be described as a compulsive creative did two shows as part of the Blitsteater (a bit like fast food, fast theatre), but there’s nothing fast about what she does with her imagination.

Picture: Stephanie M. Gericke.

I have always been fascinated by this young woman who has carved her own career in a very individual way. She pops up all over the show and her strengths lie in her words. She knows how to use them and has two spectacular poetry books that run like a thread through her performances.

Everything she does has thought behind it, is usually novel and it works. If anyone wants to see how to be an artist in today’s world and be in command of your own life, this is it.

In similar vein Sandi Dlangalala and Ilana Cilliers combined style and swagger to present an interlude of theatrical magic with Smak. The way they told the story in very little time with their whole being and soul was quite extraordinary.

A regular festival contributor, Llandi Beeslaar, who with her partner has been running a series of short performances by various artists, in the above mentioned Blitsteater, decided it was her turn to shine individually. She was ready to test herself as a comic with her first stand-up piece.

She participates in the arts in different ways, but this is a chance to use her own voice – and that she does with a particular style. Most importantly she has something to say and should keep going while honing her craft. There aren’t enough women in this space and the only thing she lacks is confidence.

Picture: Mia Truter.

A solo performance that stood out was that of singer/songwriter Frieda van den Heever.  I first noticed her as producer with a fine sensitivity as well as an imagination which seemed to be strongly independent.Picture

She has obviously decided it is her time and instead of producing others, she staged her own show. She’s got all the goods and probably if you start counting, has more talents than a triple threat. In this her first solo show (that I know of) at a festival, she did the performance as well as the production. She brought in Mauritz Lotz on guitar, but the rest was all done by this astonishing performer.

I’m more of a theatre girl than music, but she blew me away with her presentation, the way she put together her show, her music (on piano as well as singing and songwriting), her lyrics and her singing. I know I can find her album Ontspoor, onlineand that’s what I’ll do.

But to find new music so accessible and a performance that’s fresh, daring and quite darling. I’m a groupie. Once I checked her previous work (which I had seen, with her as producer rather than performer) I understood why I liked the show so much.

Karoo Kaarte is one of my favourite experiences every year at this festival. They pick their battles, how best to explore them and this year they joined forces with the District Six Museum and GALA queer archive and used the Kewpie: Daughter of District Six picture archive as a platform to develop this years’ experience.

It all culminated in a queer festival with a multi-disciplinary drama titled Kroon en Konfetti which incorporated three elements: Kewpie’s life and legacy as dancer and artist; the rich culture of Oudtshoorn’s beauty competitions called “models”; and 25 personal stories collected from Oudtshoorn’s queer community.

Dressed in all their finery, the “models” all gathered in a dressing room to start their show with the dialogue smart, sassy and with an edge. It was quite magnificent as are all the Karoo Kaarte productions and more than anything it’s the topics they choose to spotlight that’s so important.

Here is deals with a group of people who are already sidelined in a country where prejudice is still rife. With their queer status they are in search and hoping to find safe spaces in their community where they can celebrate their culture, yet behind all the glitz and glamour, the shadow of oppression is hard to ignore.

As always Neil Coppen, Vaughn Sadie and Tiffany Witbooi are the creative team responsible and my only regret – as happens every year – is that I couldn’t participate in all their offerings. It’s one of those projects that’s imaginative and innovative and even more importantly, they’re constantly working with elements that result in real change in a community that has always been neglected.

And then cleverly the festival ended with Nataniël and a company of 10 on the openair stage under the Oudtshoorn night skies. The elements aren’t his friends, but it was a glorious way to end the festival with a performance that showcased new voices and performers as well as the glorious artist himself with stories and songs that suited the occasion.

Tracy-Lee Oliver was the artist he chose to spotlight on the night, and she made full use of the occasion with spunk and singing that added spark to this final show. It was great to see someone step into the limelight with such poise. As usual, making sure he gave his audience all the hysterical stories and masterful songs they expected with his superb band and backup singers, he also paid it forward with this sassy introduction of new voices for this audience.

He first spotted her when she was a contestant on a television show he judged, and astute as he always is when it comes to producing for an occasion, this was where he decided to showcase her – for all the world to witness.

Rehearsal picture.

I haven’t even touched on the festival artist Henk Serfontein’s magnificent exhibition Die Stomme Aarde complimented by a performance piece by the artist and his collaborator Hannah Loewenthal as he made a painting to which she contributed while both of them participated in an expressive dance which further enhanced this particular emotional landscape of both the St Jude’s Church as well as the art displayed in this holy space .

It was the perfect example of how art and artists when working with an emotional intelligence can transport you in a way that seldomly happens in what has become quite a cranky world.

Similarly, Mareli Stolp, a pianist with a particular penchant for avant garde music invited animation artist Diek Grobler to illustrate her chosen compositions for a programme Die Gevlerktes. It was a stroke of genius.

The exquisite animation was imaginative in the way it enhanced the music and the listening experience which then also transformed into a visual feast.

I could go on, but this is simply one art lover’s experience …

See if you can catch any of these gems at other festivals and theatres in the year ahead.

THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE ANNUAL FIЁSTA ARTS AWARDS IS THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LOCAL ARTISTS IN DIFFERENT GENRES

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Diane de Beer reports:

Pictures: Gys Loubser

Awards can mean nothing or EVERYTHING. It really depends on each individual  and perhaps the most important ingredient is to witness especially the individual artists when they get over their surprise, gather their thoughts and express their wonderment at receiving such accolades.

Rocco Pool (Best Design), Christian Olwagen, (Best Festival Production), Rolanda Marais, (Best Actress) all for Hedda Gabler.

Astonished yet astonishing actress Rolanda Marais perhaps captured the moment best when she reflected on the 17-year-old schoolgirl she had been and how she would have experienced this achievement.

It’s one of the most vulnerable yet vibrant careers to choose, as your whole life is always dependent on the vision of others. If a director selects you, if the play is one that shows you at your best, if the audiences come, if they like the play and the cast and the list is endless.

Aardklop Fiësta winners: Joshwin Dyson (Laaitie mettie biscuits for Best Upcoming Artist and Best Actor), Artistic Director Alexa Strachan, Conroy Cupido, (Best Achievement in Classical Music for Die groot Finalé) and Philip Rademeyer (Stinkhout for Best Text ).

And yet, time and again, the actors put themselves on the line and out there to hopefully change the world for some in the audience. They probably do it more than they give themselves credit for and I have often been in awe of what they manage to achieve with too many obstacles for anyone to deal with, let alone create magic.

The Fiëstas panel attended every debut production at seven arts festivals (KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Innibos, Vrystaat Kunstefees, Klein-Karoo Klassique, Momentum Beleggings Aardklop and Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees) last year. Following an extensive voting process audited by auditors, the winners in 14 categories were determined and announced at the end of last month at a glamorous awards ceremony held at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town.

kykNET also announced that the kykNET Fiëstas will have a new home. After 15 years of management by kykNET, the Tribuo Trust will now coordinate the Fiëstas, with kykNET taking on the role of naming sponsor.

“The decision was made so that the  kykNET Fiëstas can continue and flourish as a vibrant celebration of the arts in Afrikaans. kykNET remains the main sponsor and naming sponsor of the Fiëstas,” said Waldimar Pelser, M-Net Channel Director of Premium Channels.

“In discussions with the festival directors, kykNET emphasised that we will strengthen our support for the arts festivals in a way that we hope will also make the festivals more sustainable. We look forward to reimagining the new kykNET Fiëstas together with Tribuo and are excited about the road ahead.”

Karen Meiring, Executive Chairperson of Tribuo, said: “It is an important objective of Tribuo to invest in the future and the sustainability of the entertainment industry’s ecosystem. The kykNET Fiëstas seamlessly align with this goal as the awards recognise and celebrate excellent work. They also encourage crucial audience engagement and honour the people who carry the performing and creative arts. Tribuo looks forward to continuing this project together with kykNET, who remains the naming sponsor.”

The winners are:

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CLASSICAL MUSIC

Die groot finale (Momentum Beleggings Aardklop)

BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PRODUCTION

kykNET-konsert (Innibos)

BEST MUSIC-DRIVEN THEATRE

Ontban (Suidoosterfees)

BEST ADAPTATION OR TRANSLATION OF A TEXT

Naòmi Morgan – Ons wag vir Godot (Vrystaat Kunstefees)

BEST NEW TEXT

Philip Rademeyer – Stinkhout (Momentum Beleggings Aardklop)

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL ARTS

Marlene Steyn – Between my i’s: tussen my oë (Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees)

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN

Rocco Pool – Hedda Gabler (Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Gerben Kamper – Ons wag vir Godot (Vrystaat Kunstefees)

BEST DIRECTION

Dion van Niekerk – Ons wag vir Godot (Vrystaat Kunstefees)

Joshwin Dyson (right) with his playwright/director Christo Davids

BEST UPCOMING ARTIST

Joshwin Dyson – Laaitie mettie biscuits (Momentum Beleggings Aardklop)

BEST ENSEMBLE

Hedda Gabler (Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees)

BEST ACTOR

Joshwin Dyson – Laaitie mettie biscuits (Momentum Beleggings Aardklop)

BEST ACTRESS

Rolanda Marais – Hedda Gabler (Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees)

BEST FESTIVAL PRODUCTION

Hedda Gabler (Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees)

The winner of the Blou Fiësta, awarded for commendable work that does not fall into any of the other categories, is the Suidoosterfees project 21. In celebration of the festival’s 21st anniversary, 21 productions were staged, each lasting 21 minutes with a ticket price of R21.

Amanda Strydom and Frank Opperman were honoured for their contributions to the arts.

A BRILLIANTLY BRAVE KARIN HOUGAARD, A POETIC PERFORMER AT HER BEST – AND SHE WILL BE BACK

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Kaalvoet by Karin Hougaard

Musicians Leon Ecroignard (contra bass, bass and handpans) and Luke van der Merwe (guitars, mandolin and oud)

February 2 at Pretoria’s Fairtree Atterbury Theatre

Karin has always been a performer rather than a singer. She throws herself into the performance with her whole body and soul and manages to sweep her audience along from start to finish.

She is a dramatic entertainer, larger than life in both stories and song – in the best sense of the word.

Personally, I feel as though she has grown into her performances with a confidence and wisdom that result in an extraordinary experience. She embraces the content and substance of the show, turning every song as well as the binding text into something personal and quite unique.

Sometimes the intervals between songs are an introduction to the song, sometimes it’s like a quiet meditation or a poem. It’s all-encompassing and deals with love, sadness, longing, alienation (which is probably due to her extended stay in the US), craving, being a woman and sensuality, something that she expresses with every movement.

This is a performer who explores her heart with exuberance and complete honesty. For her it’s all about authenticity.

Her selection of music is spectacular. Her English songs include You Don’t Own Me, the popular Dolly Parton’s Always Love You in a unique adaptation, the haunting  Uninvited by Alanis Morissette, a combo of Baghdad Café’s Calling You and Salmon Berries’ Barefoot (pointing to her choice of title and the way she performs, KAALVOET), a personal favourite, both dealing with her particular status as an outsider.

Those familiar with her self-written music, including  Muse, Sterrereën, Daar’s Ek , Stilbly en Daar’s Ek as well as the well known Heimwee and Summertime combined with Thula, will know it’s equally emotionally rich in song and presence. She and the iconic Dutch artist Herman Van Veen have a strong connection, she will be recording a duet of her song By My with him on his upcoming album, as well as perform as a guest artist on his 80th birthday celebration concert.

She also paid tribute to his songwriting with the Van Veen song Anders Anders and their dual composition Bij Mij.

While the cover adaptations are exquisite and felt to  me almost Janis Joplin (lite) inspired, the Afrikaans/Dutch songs have a more poetic and dramatic approach.

Her binding texts are as much part of the message as the choice of her songs. There’s nothing that’s not carefully choreographed and chosen to complete the full circle including her two marvellous musicians, Leon Ecroignard and Luke .

From beginning to end, you’re engaged and committed. If you do the work, the rewards are extraordinary.

One of the glorious results of being part of the arts for such a long time is being able to follow an artist’s career from the early days to their maturity. It’s such a privilege to see them grow and blossom and then reach a stage where they open their wings as wide as possible and fly.

That’s exactly what’s been happening to Karin these past few years. And it’s truly something to admire and for audiences a true gift. This is what she can do and how she nourishes her soul and ours.

She has returned to the US for a time, but her plans are to return to South Africa permanently in the foreseeable future. She says that she has been singing less and less, scaling down, she calls it. “

Her performances have been in  Holland more often than here locally and she chooses very carefully where to perform. She is intent on doing only selected special shows which will mean something to her as performer and thus be passed on to her audiences.

And she prefers to sing in theatres where the lights go low, the world disappears and she believes she can make magic.

Indeed, that’s exactly what happened this past Sunday. It feels as though you are witnessing something holy and in the moment, and that is something miraculous.

Knowing that she is returning to our shores also means that we will hopefully see more of this exceptional performer. Don’t miss the next one. You won’t be sorry.

TWO OSCAR-WORTHY MOVIES WITH GREAT PERFORMANCES AND PRODUCTION CHOICES

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TWO new films, currently on circuit at Ster Kinekor theatres, deserve all the accolades for performance and production whatever the outcome of the award show still revered as the one everyone wishes for. DIANE DE BEER reviews:

Picures: Pablo Larrain

MARIA

Director: Pablo Larrain

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Haluk Bilginer (Onassis), Alba Rohrwacher (the housekeeper), Pierfrancesco Favino (valet)

If you’re an opera fan, this one should be hard to resist.

Arguably, the success of the film rests on Angelina Jolie’s shoulders. And she delivers magnificently.

I’m old enough to remember when Maria Callas and her public love/hate relationship with Ari Onassis dominated the gossip columns. When he married Jackie Kennedy, the snub to his former lover could be felt worldwide – even without the presence of social media.

Many women have been scorned but not as publicly as she. And this is where Jolie pays homage to the remarkable superstar whose health and voice are starting to fail. She hasn’t been on stage for more than four years, but in her head, that’s where lives.

It’s where she comes alive and that is where the film gloriously captures the great Callas presence and voice.

Even though the two women aren’t lookalikes, the subtlety of Jolie’s transformation, the way she holds herself and moves and when she “sings” all vividly embody the spirit of the damaged diva – both physical and mental.

The casting is inspirational and the way the director has imaginatively captured the elegance and dignity of Callas combines to tell a story with great heart and empathy. Told as if from another era, which indeed it was, it is the tragedy and tribulations of Maria’s life that are delicately rendered so that it feels as though a real woman emerges.

And the film cleverly tells the story from Maria’s point of view. She wasn’t someone who relished sharing her secrets, but with Onassis and the women he courted, she didn’t have to. The world was fascinated.

The title doesn’t need more than just a name – Maria. Perhaps youngsters know less of her, but the older generation will know enough to care about this woman who seemed to have it all – but not the love of her life. And that was everything to her.

It’s obvious that she was the right choice for the Greek shipping magnate, but perhaps she too easily outshone him with her talent and artistic temperament. Jackie, a persona in her own right, but more as a symbol of a nation than an artist, to his mind, would allow him to shine brighter.

It was the mismatch of the century with the shy American first lady not a match for the rough-edged Ari, and he, no competition for the memory of the suave Jack Kennedy.

The one who suffered was Maria, who reflects on her life while trying to relive the glory of her younger voice.

It is indeed a Greek tragedy, but, fortunately, because of all the ingredients so smartly complementing  each other, it is beautifully told, with Jolie’s performance and the Callas voice stealing the show.

Oscar nominations: Cinematography; and I would have included the director and Angeline Jolie in the nominations

Pictures: courtesy A24

THE BRUTALIST

Director: Brady Corbet

Cast: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Raffey Cassidy, Alessandro Nivola

It’s probably the length of the film that has kept some from seeing this exquisite film – both in storytelling and the way it unfolds.

It is and feels epic from beginning to end. The Brutalist is a story about an architect who flees to America from a devastating postwar Europe. He hopes to invigorate his life, his career and finally reunite with his wife and niece whom he leaves behind until he has established himself.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. In today’s climate, it is the struggling life of the immigrant that grabs hold most viciously as a visionary artist is forced to grovel his way to simply survive.

Power and its frightening effects are not something that’s just of our times. Even though he is soon spotted by a wealthy industrialist, Harrison lee Van Buuren (a name that carries weight in society), he is completely at the mercy of the powerful and their needs.

Nothing is secure, even when you’re designing for the best. They can tear you apart in seconds, make you bend the knee while praising your abilities and constantly hold you in their grip – even when celebrating your masterpiece.

Brody won his first Oscar as Best Actor in Roman Polanski’s The Pianist and has made a few other memorable films, but this performance will stay with you as he perfectly captures the angst, anxiety and reserved jubilation as he tries to battle his way through in this strangely cruel new world.

He quickly realises he is in a fight for his family’s life. First, he needs to get them there and then he has to make it work at all costs. “They don’t want us here,” he says to his wife, in a delicately balanced performance by Felicity Jones.

The battered architect knows and understands the cost, doesn’t lose his confidence in his own ability and yet, he is kept dangling, always on the edge while surviving on the whims of others. It’s the animal kingdom and only the fiercest fighters survive.

The title might point to a specific architectural style and one that the brave László Toth (with a name that could only come from somewhere else) brilliantly creates, but it is you who will feel battered and brutalised by the end of this majestic film as you witness the treatment of others that the privileged believe they’re entitled to.

It certainly is the scourge of our time and one that director/writer has firmly in his grasp.

Oscar Nominations: Adrien Brody as Best Actor, Felicity Jones as Best Supporting Actress, Guy Pearce as Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Directing, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Original Screenplay