Soul of Fire Opera at Die Boer

Latin-inspired live performance featuring South African opera star Zanne Stapelberg and renowned pianist Kathleen Tagg

Durbanville’s Die Boer hosts Cape Town-born Zanne Stapelberg and Kathleen Tagg, , along with their instrumental musicians, for their third collaboration. Aptly titled “Soul of Fire” – it’s a red hot Zarzuela (Spanish for Opera) - this Latin-inspired live performance will take place from Friday, 13 July until Sunday, 15 July 2012.

This energetic musical confection combines the expertise of South Africa’s finest and Durbanville’s own, Zanne Stapelberg – a renowned opera singer, with the talent of Kathleen Tagg – who, having left Cape Town and made New York her home for the past 11 years, has performed in the likes of Carnegie Hall, New York's Lincoln Centre and Symphony Space as well as in Europe, Asia and across South Africa. Stapelberg is no stranger to success either; she’s won the Cosmopolitan Awesome Woman Award for her opera work and South Africa’s most prestigious art award - the Standard Bank Young Artist for Music. She has also delighted audiences singing leading roles in operas across South Africa and Europe, and has shared the stage with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Johnny Clegg.

Stapelberg and Tagg are accompanied by well-known classical and jazz musicians; Piet de Beer on violin, Charles lazar on bass and Joseph Avergel on percussion.

Soul of Fire is a genre bending performance unable to be boxed in or labelled by traditional titles. It features Spanish and Latin American music blended with the passion, warmth, virtuosity and soul of the artists. The end result is a program that melts haunting folk songs from Spain, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay with a unique combination of instruments - violin, piano, bass and percussion - and extended techniques and effects.

All in all, it’s an explosive, magical Zarzuela. Think fireworks across a black sky after a day so hot, the air tastes warm.  Think Fiesta of opera.

Tickets can be purchased for R130p/p; Friday and Saturday show times are at 8pm and Sunday at 1.30pm.

Arriba Arriba!

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By Aisling Holmes