Cape Town Opera begins its European summer season with a recital at the Wigmore Hall featuring an inspiring compilation of arias from the operatic repertoire, African folk music and gospel songs. It will also include musical numbers from Mandela Trilogy, which will be touring to the UK and Ireland from Saturday 27 August to Saturday 24 September 2016.

Mandela Trilogy, written and directed by Cape Town Opera’s Managing Director — Michael Williams, is a musical tribute to the life of Nelson Mandela. Told in three parts by a cast and orchestra of over 60 South African performers, the music matches the vastly different phases of Mandela’s journey from freedom fighter to president. The upbeat jazz and swing-influenced songs of Sophiatown are framed by musical styles more familiar in contemporary opera — with a dash of Xhosa folk music that grounds the production in its African roots.

Please join Michael Williams as he talks about the creation of this new South African work.