Handel’s Messiah – the grand oratorio that has stirred audiences around the world for nearly three centuries – takes on a unique local resonance this weekend when The South African Messiah is performed at the Feather Market Centre in Gqeberha.
The Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (ECPO), in collaboration with the New Apostolic Church Choir Gqeberha, will present this distinctively South African version of the Baroque masterpiece on Sunday, 13 April at 2.30pm.
Soprano Lynelle Kenned, contralto Veramarie, tenor Sakhi Martins, and bass Njabulo Mthimkhulu will take to the stage, under the baton of conductor Kutlwano Masote – son of the late Michael Masote, who was instrumental in creating The South African Messiah.
Originally composed by German-born English composer Georg Friedrich Handel in 1741, Messiah has long held a revered place in the classical canon. But its power has transcended time and borders – even ringing through the prison walls of Robben Island in the 1960s, when political prisoners performed the Hallelujah chorus.
That same spirit of resilience and reinvention inspired Michael Masote in the 1980s, when he began translating sections of Messiah into South Africa’s indigenous languages. The result was The Black Messiah, first performed in 1983 as an expression of the Black Consciousness movement.
With democracy on the horizon, Masote later expanded the work to include Afrikaans and retained elements of the original English libretto. His aim was clear: to create a version of Messiah that reflected the linguistic and cultural diversity of the new South Africa. The South African Messiah premiered in 1996 to mark the adoption of the country’s democratic constitution.
Since then, it has been performed by choirs across the country – most notably in Gauteng – and recognised by the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) for its contribution to the promotion of multilingualism through music.
“This version is special to me, not just for its musical richness but because it represents my father’s legacy,” says conductor Kutlwano Masote. “It’s about making classical music speak directly to the hearts of more South Africans.”
Tickets can be purchased on Webtickets.
This article was paid for by ECPO.
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The South African Messiah heads to Gqeberha stage
Handel’s masterpiece returns in a uniquely South African form, performed live in Gqeberha
Handel’s Messiah – the grand oratorio that has stirred audiences around the world for nearly three centuries – takes on a unique local resonance this weekend when The South African Messiah is performed at the Feather Market Centre in Gqeberha.
The Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (ECPO), in collaboration with the New Apostolic Church Choir Gqeberha, will present this distinctively South African version of the Baroque masterpiece on Sunday, 13 April at 2.30pm.
Soprano Lynelle Kenned, contralto Veramarie, tenor Sakhi Martins, and bass Njabulo Mthimkhulu will take to the stage, under the baton of conductor Kutlwano Masote – son of the late Michael Masote, who was instrumental in creating The South African Messiah.
Originally composed by German-born English composer Georg Friedrich Handel in 1741, Messiah has long held a revered place in the classical canon. But its power has transcended time and borders – even ringing through the prison walls of Robben Island in the 1960s, when political prisoners performed the Hallelujah chorus.
That same spirit of resilience and reinvention inspired Michael Masote in the 1980s, when he began translating sections of Messiah into South Africa’s indigenous languages. The result was The Black Messiah, first performed in 1983 as an expression of the Black Consciousness movement.
With democracy on the horizon, Masote later expanded the work to include Afrikaans and retained elements of the original English libretto. His aim was clear: to create a version of Messiah that reflected the linguistic and cultural diversity of the new South Africa. The South African Messiah premiered in 1996 to mark the adoption of the country’s democratic constitution.
Since then, it has been performed by choirs across the country – most notably in Gauteng – and recognised by the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) for its contribution to the promotion of multilingualism through music.
“This version is special to me, not just for its musical richness but because it represents my father’s legacy,” says conductor Kutlwano Masote. “It’s about making classical music speak directly to the hearts of more South Africans.”
Tickets can be purchased on Webtickets.
This article was paid for by ECPO.
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