Celebrating Nelson Mandela Day in Paris
Jul 19, 2013 6:02:24 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2013 6:02:24 GMT
July 18 is International Nelson Mandela Day, an event which has not been celebrated in France as lavishly as one might hope in the land of liberté, égalité, fraternité. However, this year a truly exceptional event was organised on Place de la République.
The Kwazulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra gave a free outdoor concert. The weather was perfect, and the people of Paris came out en masse.
Free programmes and commemorative badges were available to all.
The concert was to begin at 21:30.
There were short speeches in English and French by the cultural directors of the event.
After an overture by Verdi, the orchestra performed excerpts from the opera uShaka, which tells of the life of the legendary Zulu warrior Shaka, who united many of the Zulu tribes and, by the beginning of the 19th century, had created the most powerful kingdom in all of southern Africa.
The magnificent Clermont Community Chorus from Durban also performed.
Tenor Mhlaba Buthelezi and bass-baritone Mthunzi Nokubeka performed along with soprano Khumbuzile Dhlamini and mezzo-soprano Ntokozo Nokubeka.
They were absolutely extraordinary.
There are few things more spine tingling than listening to a philharmonic orchestra in the open air.
The next excerpts were from the "Mandela Trilogy." Baritone Aubrey Lodewyk sang the role of Nelson Mandela.
Very few people left before the end and those who did were probably expecting something along the lines of Bob Marley.
To complete the festivities there was a performance by popular singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka. She never stops moving!
It was a really fantastic evening.
And here is a little bit of the music.
The Kwazulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra gave a free outdoor concert. The weather was perfect, and the people of Paris came out en masse.
Free programmes and commemorative badges were available to all.
The concert was to begin at 21:30.
There were short speeches in English and French by the cultural directors of the event.
After an overture by Verdi, the orchestra performed excerpts from the opera uShaka, which tells of the life of the legendary Zulu warrior Shaka, who united many of the Zulu tribes and, by the beginning of the 19th century, had created the most powerful kingdom in all of southern Africa.
The magnificent Clermont Community Chorus from Durban also performed.
Tenor Mhlaba Buthelezi and bass-baritone Mthunzi Nokubeka performed along with soprano Khumbuzile Dhlamini and mezzo-soprano Ntokozo Nokubeka.
They were absolutely extraordinary.
There are few things more spine tingling than listening to a philharmonic orchestra in the open air.
The next excerpts were from the "Mandela Trilogy." Baritone Aubrey Lodewyk sang the role of Nelson Mandela.
Very few people left before the end and those who did were probably expecting something along the lines of Bob Marley.
To complete the festivities there was a performance by popular singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka. She never stops moving!
It was a really fantastic evening.
And here is a little bit of the music.
