South Africans are known as resilient people with a rich and diverse culture and tradition. Our beloved country boasts a patriotic wave of unity annually on Heritage Day, celebrated on September 24.
Whether it be a braai, a cultural gathering or a display of colourful exhibition and arts, we've unearthed some interesting activities for you to get up to during this month which also ties in as tourism month.
On September 28, the internationally acclaimed Cape Town Opera Chorus will present Horizons at the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch as part of Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees.
The distinctly South African programme with musical direction by José Dias, will feature works by fourteen composers including Michael Moerane, Péter Louis van Dijk, Mzilikazi Khumalo, Clare Loveday, Mpumelelo Manyathi and Pieter Bezuidenhout.
The performance spans over 70 years of musical history and encompasses seven of South Africa's official languages. The programme also includes arrangements of indigenous songs, offering a compelling showcase of the nation's rich musical heritage.
Composer Pieter Bezuidenhout said: “This music is a roadmap of South Africa's collective journey, charting the milestones of its shared identity. In every note, one can hear the echoes of history, the pulse of contemporary life, and the whispers of what is yet to come. Choral music here is not merely an art form, it is the heartbeat of a people, a living testament to the intricate tapestry of social, cultural, and political threads that weave through the nation's soul. It is a powerful medium of expression that carries past stories, speaks to the present, and beckons us toward the future.”
South Africa's choral music tradition is deeply rooted in collaboration and cultural interpretation, as exemplified throughout the Horizons programme. Composers engage with the rich diversity of the vernacular by arranging and interpreting music that reflects the nation's heritage.
The repertoire includes traditional isiZulu and isiXhosa songs spanning over a century, such as Ukuthula, Senzeni Na, and Bawo Thixo Somandla —powerful pieces that have resonated in churches, concert halls, and during protests.
Horizons takes stage at 5pm. Tickets cost R150 through Quicket.
Cape Ballet Africa ignites The Baxter stage with its inaugural season of SALT celebrating the work of choreographer trio Kirsten Isenberg, Mthuthuzeli November and Michelle Reid. SALT will be performed from September 21 until 28.
Founder and Artistic Director of Cape Ballet Africa; Debbie Turner, said: “SALT resonates on so many levels in our daily existence. For our auspicious inaugural season, the three works by Kirsten, Mthuthuzeli and Michelle feature the immense skills of the artists within the broad spectrum of the interpretation of the classical ballet technique.
“The works are poignant, sleek, stylish, celebratory and percussive. Expect strong athletic pointe work, gravity-defying pas de deux, and beautifully articulated bodies in motion that depict a textured poetry within the richly inwoven movement vocabulary.”
“Cape Town has a proud legacy of dance. We want to invest in and build on that going forward into the future,” said Turner.
Tickets cost from R200 to R350, via Webtickets.
The Desmond Tutu United 4 Humanity Concerts are taking place in the Mother City on October 3 at St George’s Cathedral. In a series of events, this one forms part of a few events lined up under the World of Music, Arts & Dance (WOMAD) umbrella.
The concert will showcase top class acts including PJ Powers, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and many more. WOMAD was launched in 1982 by Peter Gabriel and has successfully brought the ethos, sights, global sounds and rhythms to 32 countries around the world to an audience of millions.
WOMAD SA 2024 Concerts and Activities will be held in Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Johannesburg. The main concerts of the WOMAD tour is The Desmond Tutu United 4 Humanity Concerts, held in partnership with the City of Cape Town and the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Proceeds for these concerts will go to the Tutu Foundation.
Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said: “WOMAD has a long and pedigree history of taking exquisite World Music around the world and putting on incredible shows, and I have no doubt that the historic St George’s Cathedral will be the perfect setting for concerts of this stature. The late Archbishop Tutu was such a beloved resident of our city and these concerts, on the 40th anniversary of his Nobel Prize, is a wonderful way to honour his great legacy.”
CEO of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Janet Jobson, noted that the foundation is excited by the partnership.
“The Desmond Tutu United 4 Humanity concert is a fitting tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on what would have been his birthday weekend. The foundation is committed to extending the Arch’s wisdom, example, courage, and joy to generations to come – and platforms like this help us to reach people with this unique combination of qualities. I’m sure the Arch will be dancing in the aisles of the Cathedral in spirit!”
The concert start at 7pm and tickets can be booked at Quicket for R250.