“Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” — Nelson Mandela
The South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist, who was also the face of the nation first as the freedom fighter, then the president (from 1994-1999), Mandela’s story is a rich canvas to behold. Now, his tale takes on a three-movement opera set in Transkei, in Sophiatown and 27-years in prison.
His journey is recreated through a cast of 30 professionals, who use music to animate his life. Traditional Xhosa choral music, the jazz and jive dancing of the 1950s township music halls, struggle songs of the 1980s and the liberation music of the 1990s have been incorporated in the Mandela Trilogy.
The production has opened to critical acclaim in Cardiff, Munich, London, Southampton, Dublin, Manchester and Birmingham.
Dubai Opera’s chief executive Jasper Hope said: “I’m delighted Dubai Opera is able to collaborate with the fantastic Cape Town Opera to share the story of Nelson Mandela’s heroic and inspirational life, presented in this brilliantly colourful production with its intoxicating mix of opera, jazz and Xhosa sounds and rhythms”.
Tickets to the show, which runs in Dubai Opera from November 9-11, go on sale on April 18 at 9am.
