David Kramer’s lively new musical tells a fascinating true story.
Bursting with visual and vocal entertainment, and set to be one of the hottest tickets in Cape Town, Cape Town Opera premieres a spectacular re-telling of the true story of Orpheus McAdoo. Set in the 1890s the story recounts how African-American impresario, Orpheus McAdoo, brought The Virginia Jubilee Concert Choir on tour to South Africa at the invitation of the governor’s wife, Lady Loch. Their music created an overnight sensation and introduced a unique singing style to the Cape on its two-year countrywide tour.
Capturing the story in song
In this re-working of his previous 2015 production Orpheus in Africa, David Kramer has created new music inspired by early American folk music, minstrel songs, early ragtime and opera, woven together with the traditional songs that were part of the choir’s original repertoire.
The renowned songwriter-playwright-director has a fascination with exploring South Africa’s rich musical past and uncovered this intriguing story when researching a previous musical, Ghoema. He brings to sparkling life well known jubilee spirituals such as Roll Jordan Roll, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Down By The Riverside, and captures the vocal style of the period as well as the captivating human drama of the story.
The cast
Cape Town Opera has put together a star-studded cast including Conroy Scott, Natalie Robbie, Brittany Smith, Dean Balie, Jody Abrahams, Eldon van der Merwe, Elton Landrew and Alexis Petersen whose vocal talent and dramatic flair take the audience back 120 years with entertaining ease.
Truly something to make a song and dance about… and a show not to be missed.
Cost R200 – R520
When 18 October – 3 November 2024
Time Tuesday – Friday: 7pm
Saturday: 3pm + 7pm
Sunday: 3pm
Where Artscape Theatre, Foreshore, Cape Town
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