Rock Paper Scissors - Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Raise Your Spirit Higher (Heads Up) - An Aria for Post-Apartheid Africa: At Last, Opera Learns to Speak Your Language (if You Speak Zulu)

To listen to audio on Rock Paper Scissors you'll need to Get the Flash Player

Sample Track 1:
"Wenyukela" from Raise Your Spirit Higher -- Wenyukela

Sample Track 2:
"Wenza Ngani?" from Raise Your Spirit Higher -- Wenyukela

Sample Track 3:
"Music Knows No Boundaries" from Raise Your Spirit Higher -- Wenyukela

Buy Recording:
Raise Your Spirit Higher -- Wenyukela

Buy mp3's:
click here

An Aria for Post-Apartheid Africa: At Last, Opera Learns to Speak Your Language (if You Speak Zulu)

Click Here to go back.

New York Times, An Aria for Post-Apartheid Africa: At Last, Opera Learns to Speak Your Language (if You Speak Zulu) >>

(Excerpt)

“Africa and Wales have the finest singes,” Mr. Hankinson, the conductor said. “Both have a tradition of singing with action. South Africa is probably the most musical country in the world. Singing is a natural form of expression. Everything in an African village involves music and dance. Opera is their daily life.”

The Zulu tradition of choral music is particularly strong, as Americans learned when Paul Simon worked with the a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo on his “Graceland” album in 1986. That group, also from the province of KwaZulu-Natal (Ladysmith is the founder’s hometown), is coming to Ravinia on June 15 and 16.

-Anne Midgette

05/30/04

Click Here to go back.