Woodlands 15 artists from around the world find common artistic ground in the Woodlands, composing a world premiere of expressive music, dance, poetry and visual art especially for HIFA. We meet the artists in the Woodlands, a virgin space where we find our commonality; our humanity. Enjoy this collaborative piece that explores our joy, our vulnerability, the global and the deeply personal. WEDNESDAY 29 April/Cabs Day/ZB Bank Reps Theatre/1PM 4:48 Psychosis Some people believe that 4:48 is the time that many suicides happen. Others believe that this is the hour that sorcerers return to their homes. Which is it? Who knows! But it is the time that Saranyana commits suicide. Using image, the body, facial expression and voice, director Mary Atalia adapts the text by English playwright Sarah Kane, with accompaniment by traditional Mozambican instruments. WEDNESDAY 29 April/Cabs Day/The Standard Theatre/6PM Multi-award winning Zimbabwean super group Mokoomba staged a phenomenal performance at the opening of the 16th edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) on the ZOL Main Stage on Tuesday, April 28, 2015. The crowd roared, danced, laughed, and was, at times, silent as they took in the launch of HIFA 2015. The afro-fusion group from Victoria Falls proved why they are so sought-after all over the globe, with a performance that was rousing and powerful from start to finish. Providing a uniquely Zimbabwean musical backdrop to the Opening Show, the group demonstrated remarkable energy and endurance. Mokoomba lead singer, Mathias Muzaza, not only wowed the audience with his enviable vocal range, but his showmanship kept also kept them engaged with what was happening on stage. The theme of the show, ‘The Power of Many’ was well articulated, in keeping with the festival theme. A number of local and international acts merged with Mokoomba’s groove, providing the audience with an eclectic mix of diverse cultures and sounds during the 70-minute show. Some of the highlights included youthful tap-dancing, inimitable dances from award-winning Zimbabwean dancer, Maylene Chenjerai, and her friends from Tumbuka Dance Company alongside the National Ballet. Star FM’s Nikki also demonstrated the wide range of talent we have here in Zimbabwe, delivering powerful spoken word poetry to Mokoomba’s accompaniment. She was also responsible for finally getting the entire Opening Show crowd to its feet! As per tradition, the show closed with a spectacular fireworks display that coloured the night sky, announcing to the world that HIFA 2015 is now on! Previews & Highlights WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL CABS DAY Majestic Mokoomba Sets Tone for HIFA 2015 THE OFFICIAL DAILY FOR THE HARARE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 2015 Song and Dance at the Opening Extravaganza Amazing Stage Work: e Power Of Many
Transcript
Woodlands15 artists from around the world find common artistic ground in the Woodlands, composing a world premiere of expressive music, dance, poetry and visual art especially for HIFA. We meet the artists in the Woodlands, a virgin space where we find our commonality; our humanity. Enjoy this collaborative piece that explores our joy, our vulnerability, the global and the deeply personal.
WEDNESDAY 29 April/Cabs Day/ZB Bank Reps Theatre/1PM
4:48 PsychosisSome people believe that 4:48 is the time that many suicides happen. Others believe that this is the hour that sorcerers return to their homes. Which is it? Who knows! But it is the time that Saranyana commits suicide. Using image, the body, facial expression and voice, director Mary Atalia adapts the text by English playwright Sarah Kane, with accompaniment by traditional Mozambican instruments.
WEDNESDAY 29 April/Cabs Day/The Standard Theatre/6PM
Multi-award winning Zimbabwean super group Mokoomba staged a phenomenal performance at the opening of the 16th edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) on the ZOL Main Stage on Tuesday, April 28, 2015. The crowd roared, danced, laughed, and was, at times, silent as they took in the launch of HIFA 2015.
The afro-fusion group from Victoria Falls proved why they are so sought-after all over the globe, with a performance that was rousing and powerful from start to finish. Providing a uniquely Zimbabwean musical backdrop to the Opening Show, the group demonstrated remarkable energy and endurance.
Mokoomba lead singer, Mathias Muzaza, not only wowed the audience with his enviable vocal range, but his showmanship kept also kept them engaged with what was happening on stage.
The theme of the show, ‘The Power of Many’ was well articulated, in keeping with the festival theme. A number of local and international acts merged with Mokoomba’s groove, providing the audience with an eclectic mix of diverse cultures and sounds during the 70-minute show.
Some of the highlights included youthful tap-dancing, inimitable dances from award-winning Zimbabwean dancer,
Maylene Chenjerai, and her friends from Tumbuka Dance Company alongside the National Ballet.
Star FM’s Nikki also demonstrated the wide range of talent we have here in Zimbabwe, delivering powerful spoken word poetry to Mokoomba’s accompaniment. She was also responsible for finally getting the entire Opening Show crowd to its feet!
As per tradition, the show closed with a spectacular fireworks display that coloured the night sky, announcing to the world that HIFA 2015 is now on!
Previews & Highlights
WEDNESDAY 29 APRILCABS DAY
Majestic Mokoomba Sets Tone for HIFA 2015
THE OFFICIAL DAILY FOR THE HARARE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 2015
Song and Dance at the Opening Extravaganza Amazing Stage Work: The Power Of Many
DAILY PROGRAMMEReviews and Highlights
Luisa Sobral Makes HIFA SmileLuisa Sobral, Portuguese songstress and musical writer impressed her audience at the Lay’s Global Stage yesterday afternoon. Sobral used irony, humour and Billy-Halliday-esque tones to engage her audience.
A variety of themes in multiple-languages, including Spanish, English and, naturally, Portuguese punctuated the show. The crowd was intrigued as Sobral explained that her favourite upbeat song, and the one that she danced to the most, was inspired by her grandmother’s reaction to her grandfather’s death. She used the music to communicate her grandparents’ love, albeit relating it to a sad event. She artfully balanced that paradox.
In an amazing display of musical talent, Sobral played multiple instruments and encouraged the crowd to back her up on parts that were not easy to botch. With her own theatrical jazzy twist, she performed covers of well-known contemporary songs, such as Carly Ray Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” where she used an old-school telephone as a prop.
Sobral approached her musical performance with such enthusiasm and novelty that the crowd was transfixed until the very end.
Comrade Fatso Talks Poetry at HIFAZimbabwean rebel poet, Comrade Fatso (Samm Monro) tells us what audiences can expect at this year’s HIVOS Poetry Lab:
“We’ve got a lot of different, fun presentations of spoken word, so each event is themed differently. One I’m particularly looking forward to is the ‘Hip Hop Meets Poetry’ - I think that’s going to be a really interesting feature with rap meeting poetry. On the rap side you’ll have Zim’s leading indie hip hop band, Monkey Nuts, who are going to be launching their album there. The album will also be launched in the UK at the same time. And they’re going to be performing hip hop alongside other artists like KG40 and MK47 from Mutare.
“I’m also really looking forward to the poetry slam. We’ve got that happening on two days at the Festival, and as always that’ll be really riotous fun!
“And then you’ve got amazing spoken word artists like Toby Thompson from the UK and Aspire who are going to be busting some spoken word. At the Word Garden event they’ll be presenting Mandi Poefficient Vundla from South Africa, who’s an incredible poet. Mandi and Toby will be performing alongside top poets from the region, like Barbra ‘Breeze’ Anderson from Harare, PAN from Bulawayo, and Mandisa from Botswana.”
Hivos Poetry Lab HIFA Schedule:
Wednesday 29 April/CABS Day/2PM – Word Garden
Thursday 30 April/12:30PM - Slam the Page
Friday 1 May/Golden Pilsener Day/12PM – Hip Hop Meets Poetry
Saturday 2 May/11AM – Poetry Slam
Sunday 3 May/Old Mutual Day/3PM – Spoke ‘n’ Heard
Wednesday 29 AprilCABS Day
TIME PAGE PRODUCTION PRICE VENUE
10AM - 5PM 65 National Gallery Exhibitions
@NGZ NATIONAL GALLERY OF ZIMBABWE
10AM - 7PM 58 British American Tobacco Zimbabwe Design and Craft Market
11.15PM - 12.15AM 17 Jackson Wahengo $10 LAY'S GLOBAL STAGE
12.30 - 1.30AM 40 - 41 DJ Ma'original Free* COCA-COLA GREEN
Words in Motion At HIVOS Poetry Lab
Renouned Austrian cellist, Erich Oskar Huetter, kicked off his recital yesterday with a solo cello piece, composed by Hindemith (fun fact: Hindemoth was an influence on famous West End composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose brother, coincidentally, is also a cellist). It seemed fitting that German-speaking Huetter should perform a repertoire of pieces composed by German-speaking composers.
Collaborating with one of Zimbabwe’s finest pianists, Jeanette Micklem, this was the first of two programmes by the two musicians. These two charmed the crowd and took them to another world, performing pieces by Beethoven and Brahms. Huetter’s fellow countryman,
Mozart, was the influence behind Beethoven’s Seven Variations on Mozart’s theme from “The Magic Flute.” Huetter comes across as a slim, soft-spoken gentleman, but, in performance, he is larger than life and puts extraordinary flair into his playing.
To the untrained ear, it at times seemed that he made the high range of his cello sound like a violin was being played - the result was exhilarating!
Recital was presented by KPMG.
Second programme by Huetter and Micklem: “Bach For Breakfast” at 11:15AM, Wednesday 29 April at the NMB Bank Recital Room.
Tuesday, April 28 2015
What are artists looking forward to at HIFA 2015?
Here’s what they said:
Hit song “Zvekupenga” singers - Chashe and Tinashe: Tinashe’s looking forward to watching South Africa’s Beatenberg. Chashe’s just landed in Zim so is just catching her breath!
Catch this duo at 12:30 on Saturday, May 2 at the Lay’s Global Stage.
Tinashe on Twitter: @TinasheMakura
Chashe on Twitter: @Chashemusic
The Teapot’s Mimi/Ameera is looking forward to Ghanaian rapper M.anifest at HIFA 2015
Mimi on Twitter: @ameeramimi
Jazz guitarist Josh Meck is excited about the “buzz” at HIFA 2015 and that there’ll be over 1,000 artists here this week.
Catch Josh at 4:15pm on Old Mutual Day, Sunday May 3, at the Lay’s Global Stage
Josh on Twitter: @joshmeck
Zimbabwean songstress Dudu Manhenga: she’s looking forward to the Opera Gala and Salif Keita with Hope Masike.
Dudu on Twitter: @DuduManhenga
Radio personality Candice Mwakalyelye is part of a group of venue MCs for HIFA and her venue is the ZB Bank Reps Theatre Complex. She says, “I am hoping to catch the Beatenberg, Salif Keita and Opening shows.”
Candice on Twitter: @NdiCandice
Classical Music Charms the Audiences
“Artists Looking Forward”The Watershed College Marimba Band ushered in the first HIFA crowds on Tuesday morning with a rousing and uplifting set. Their hour-long performance at the Festival’s main entrance was a treat for people queuing for tickets at the HIFA Box Office a few metres away.
Under the coaching of Blessing “Bled” Chimanga, these high school students were awarded the Best Energetic High School Band Award in 2013. Out of two hundred schools in southern Africa, they scooped the Best High School Marimba Band prize.
They wowed German audiences during their 2014 tour, and this year Zimbabweans get to watch their homegrown talent perform at HIFA.
The award-winning Marimba band also got the attention and applause of residents of nearby flats who enjoyed the free entertainment. One of the popular songs that they performed was ‘Manhanga Kutapira,’ to which most locals quickly identified and sang along.
Another group that halted its business to enjoy this free entertainment were pedestrian passers-by, and even some vehicles stopped to catch a glimpse and enjoy the marimba sounds before proceeding to their intended destinations.
Watershed’s performance gave their street audience a peek into the HIFA week, and a good incentive to attend the Festival and enjoy more.
A Marimba Welcome!
The HIFALutin’ is the Festival’s daily newspaper proudly brought to you this year by SEED CO. The 2015 HIFALutin’ is coordinated with the assistance of Zimbojam and is printed overnight and delivered every morning by Sable Press.
Fleet-footed Opening Show Cast
A Watershed Moment For The Festival
Please Note:1. In general the bus loads 40 minutes before a show and departs promptly 30 minutes before the show2. Usually the bus is waiting at the end of the show, but there may be a small wait
If a small wait is involved, the anticipated delay is indicated in the last column of the schedule.
Standard Theater & NMB Recital to Main Gate
Board Depart From To Task Wait at end of show
11.00 am 11.05 Standard Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Birdheart' 20 mins12.15 pm 12.25 NMB Recital Room Main Gate Collect from 'Eric Huetter - Bach for Breakfast' 20 mins3.15 pm 3.25 Standard Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Guerineau & Maputo Jugglers' 20 mins4.30 pm 4.40 NMB Recital Room Main Gate Collect from 'Two Pianists' 20 mins7.00 pm 7.10 Standard Theater Main Gate Collect from '4.48 Psychosis' 20 mins10.00 pm 10.10 Standard Theater Main Gate Collect from 'The Taking' 20 mins
ZB Bank Reps & ZB Bank Upstairs to Main Gate
Board Depart From To Task Wait at end of show
11.15 am 11.20 ZB Bank Reps Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Twenty Fifteen' 15 mins12.45 pm 12.50 ZB Bank Upstairs Main Gate Collect from 'A Tree To Sing To' 15 mins2.15 pm 2.20 ZB Bank Reps Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Woodlands' 15 mins3.45 pm 3.50 ZB Bank Upstairs Main Gate Collect from 'Sunrise' 15 mins5.00 pm 5.10 ZB Bank Reps Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Our African Dream' 15 mins7.00 pm 7.10 ZB Bank Upstairs Main Gate Collect from 'Grey Man Experiment' 15 mins9.15 pm 9.25 ZB Bank Reps Theater Main Gate Collect from 'Defending The Caveman' 15 mins10.30 pm 10.40 ZB Bank Upstairs Main Gate Collect from 'Sunrise' 15 mins
Main Gate to ZB Bank Reps and Upstairs Reps
Board Depart From To Task Wait at end of show
9.20 am 9.30 Main Gate ZB Bank Reps Theater Carry to 'Twenty Fifteen' 15 mins10.50 am 11.00 Main Gate ZB Bank Upstairs Carry to 'A Tree To Sing To' 15 mins12.20 pm 12.30 Main Gate ZB Bank Reps Theater Carry to 'Woodlands' 15 mins1.50 pm 2.00 Main Gate ZB Bank Upstairs Carry to 'Sunrise' 15 mins3.20 pm 3.30 Main Gate ZB Bank Reps Theater Carry to 'Our African Dream' 15 mins5.20 pm 5.30 Main Gate ZB Bank Upstairs Carry to 'Grey Man Experiment' 15 mins7.35 pm 7.45 Main Gate ZB Bank Reps Theater Carry to 'Defending The Caveman' 15 mins8.50 pm 9.00 Main Gate ZB Bank Upstairs Carry to 'Sunrise' 15 mins
Main Gate to Standard Theater & NMB Recital
Board Depart From To Task Wait at end of show
9.20 am 9.30 Main Gate Standard Theater Carry to 'Birdheart' 20 mins10.35 am 10.45 Main Gate NMB Recital Room Carry to 'Eric Huetter - Bach for Breakfast' 20 mins1.35 pm 1.45 Main Gate Standard Theater Carry to 'Guerineau & Maputo Jugglers' 20 mins2.50 pm 3.00 Main Gate NMB Recital Room Carry to 'Two Pianists' 20 mins5.20 pm 5.30 Main Gate Standard Theater Carry to '4.48 Psychosis' 20 mins8.20 pm 8.30 Main Gate Standard Theater Carry to 'The Taking' 20 mins
