Alexander Sudheim
The considerable musical ability of Zulu Princess Magogo has been brought to the stage
In 1900, Mntwana Constance Magogo kaDinuzulu was born to King Dinuzulu KaCetshwayo in Nongoma, Zululand. The year marked the beginning of one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the Zulu people, one whose trials and tribulations the princess witnessed first-hand and which she reflected in an astonishing body of musical work.
Having survived a close brush with death shortly after she was born (hence the nickname “Magogo” the sangoma used fat from the igogo buck to treat the infant), the princess devoted the rest of her life to articulating the myths, legends and way of life of the Zulu people in a comprehensive repertoire of original songs whose popularity continues unabated today. Blessed with an almost superhuman strength of voice that allowed her to sing for days on end, Princess Magogo was also possessed of considerable musical ability she displayed remarkable individualism through her exceptional talents as an autoharp and ugubho (musical bow) player and as one of the few female imbongi (praise singers) of her time as well as profound dedication to the preservation of Zulu culture.
Together with making her one of the most significant figures in modern Zulu history, this also made her an irresistible choice as subject for the first fully-fledged African opera produced in this country, Princess Magogo. An initiative of Durban’s world-renowned Opera Africa the company have previously shifted the opera paradigm with African interpretations of European classics such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Beethoven’s Fidelio and Gounod’s Faust Princess Magogo is an entirely homegrown affair, featuring a poetic libretto by acclaimed author and academic Themba Msimang; a powerful score by distinguished South Africa composer Mzilikazi Khumalo; orchestration by Mike Hankinson; costume and set design by Andrew Verster and direction by Themi Venturas.
Produced by Opera Africa’s Sandra de Villiers, the indigenous tour de force boasts equally impressive credentials in the performance dimension, with internationally acclaimed mezzo soprano Sibongile Khumalo taking the role of Princess Magogo; exciting bass baritone talent Fikile Mvinjelwa as King Dinuzulu; pre-eminent opera stars Linda Bukhosini and Bongani Vilakazi in the key roles of Queen Silomo and Bambatha respectively; and Gerhard Geist conducting the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra.
A further boost to Opera Africa’s cause is the immense international interest the Princess Magogo project has attracted. The concept of an African opera was presented by invitation at the International Society for the Performing Arts conference in New York in December 1999, where it was enthusiastically received by the 450 delegates. As a result, the project joined forces with the Sister City Cultural Exchange Programme between Chicago and Durban, with Chicago’s WFMT Radio broadcasting live in the United States the world premiere of Princess Magogo, which takes place at Durban’s Playhouse Opera on May 4.
Woven into the tale of Princess Magogo are the epochal events that befell the Zulu empire and its subjects during the early part of the 20th century. The opera begins with the princess on her deathbed, about to be guided into the spirit realm by the ghost of her father, King Dinuzulu. While hovering on the liminal cusp between life and death, she looks back upon her life and the momentous forces that shaped her destiny and that of her people.
At the time of the princess’s birth, all is not well in the kingdom of the Zulus. The king is returning from being imprisoned on the island of St Helena and his nation is in turmoil thanks to the bloody conflict with the British. Bambatha, the charismatic Zulu general, leads a rebellion against the intruders, but he is captured and beheaded by the English. In the Bambatha fallout the king, though not involved in the rebellion, is found guilty of treason and exiled to St Helena once more, never to be seen again by his daughter. Before his departure, he enjoins the princess to sing about the history of her people, to bear witness to the destruction of the Zulu nation and to strive to keep its soul alive, a task she performs with heroic resolve throughout her life.
And what of the incongruencies of using the traditional European medium to tell an intrinsically African story? Well, perhaps one of the most effective recipes for exorcising the culture of the coloniser is to co-opt and inhabit its own forms of expression and imbue them with the tenets of your own culture to such an extent that you have created an entirely new creature; an evolution so distinct from its precursor it can almost be said to be an entirely different species. As Durban Metropolitan Mayor Obed Mlaba points out: “While I strongly advocate that each cultural entity remains essentially true to its roots, I do not regard myself as an undiluted purist. Cross- cultural pollination is always fertile and ensures that stagnation is held at bay and that the necessary growth is guaranteed.” One thing that is sure to grow is worldwide appreciation for Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu’s singular musical legacy.
The details
Princess Magogo has three performances in Durban at the Playhouse Opera on May 4, 6 and 8 before moving to the Nelson Mandela Theatre for a further three performances on May 15, 17 and 19. To book call (031) 369 9444 or (011) 403 3408 for details and bookings