Podiumsdiskussion
With the end of the Apartheid era, opera - stigmatized as ‘eurocentric opera’ - became a symbol of Western dominance/colonial imposition and seemed to be dead in South Africa.
But in fact, especially the so called ‘indigenous opera’ ‘flourishes’ as something of an anachronism and can be assessed as ‘black empowerment’ (Naomi André 2018).
The writing of a historiography of opera productions in South Africa although has academically just shortly started (Donato Somma 2016; Hilde Roos 2013, 2010; Martina Viljoen 2006) and is confronted with problems of different natures: political structures, post-colonization, globalization, unstable artistic standards and institutional relations.
The ‘bloom’ of opera presents itself neither through regular performances nor through crowded theatre halls. This is a consequence of the difficult political relations of artistic production in South Africa, which are among others characterized by a lack of funding and the re-organization of the Performing Arts Councils/ National Arts Councils. The existing significant multiple theatricalities of South Africa are thereby not having a platform to present themselves. The market pressure results often in overseas productions financing the few performances in the country itself. Thereby putting itself on risk to confirm with their opera productions transferred expectations of a South African identity rather than expressing an ‘authentic’ one.
This symposium will focus on South African Opera productions. Thereby the aim of the symposium is to represent the plurality of artistic concepts that deal in different ways with the multiple challenges of political and social transformation. How can opera in South Africa be involved in the process of societal transformation in a post-apartheid society? Which new artistic concepts are needed? How does themes for the libretti change? How did language, the style of composition and orchestration transform? Which new locations for performances are found to involve new audiences? How did the aesthetics change? And how are new media used either for a new aesthetic of performances, as with e.g. ‘Lamento’ (Umculo) or ‘U-Carmen eKhayelitsha’ (Isango Ensemble), or for marketing purposes?
Thursday, 18th October
10.00 - 10.05 am |
Welcome: Dr Lena van der Hoven (Junges Kolleg of Bavarian Academy of Sciences/ University of Bayreuth) |
10.05 - 11.15 am |
Chair: Dr Lena van der Hoven Prof Naomi André (University Michigan, USA): Dr Donato Somma (University of Witwatersrand, SA): |
11.15 – 11.30 am |
coffee break |
11.30 – 12.45 |
Chair: Dr Donato Somma William Fourie (University of Royal Holloway, University of London, UK): Dr Lena van der Hoven (Junges Kolleg of Bavarian Academy of Sciences/ University of Bayreuth): |
12.45 - 2.15 pm |
lunch break |
2.15 – 3.25 pm |
Chair: William Fourie Dr Juliana M. Pistorius (University of Huddersfield, UK): Angelique Mouyis (Rutgers University, USA): |
3.25 - 3.50 pm |
coffee break |
3.50 – 5.00 pm |
Chair: Shirley Apthorp Wayne Muller (Stellenbosch University, South Africa): Lebona R. Sello (North West University, South Africa): |
7.00 pm |
Prof Naomi André (University Michigan, USA): |
Friday, 19th October 2018
10 – 11.45 am |
Chair: Dr Lena van der Hoven Melissa Gerber (Odeion School of Music, South Africa): Allison R. Smith (Boston University, USA): Megan Quilliam (University of Colorado, USA): |
11.45 – 12.00 am |
coffee break |
12.00 – 1.00 pm |
Workshop I. with input-presentations |
12.00 – 12.30 pm |
Input Naomi André: |
12.30 – 1.00 pm |
Input July Zuma (Opera Singer): |
1.00 – 2.30 pm |
lunch break |
2.30 – 4.30 pm |
Workshop II. with input-presentations |
2.30 – 3.00 pm |
Input Shirley Apthorp (Founder & Director of Umculo): |
3.00 – 3.30 pm |
Financial situation and political influence? |
3.30 – 3.45 pm |
coffee break |
3.45 – 4.30 pm |
open discussion |
4.30 – 4.45 pm |
coffee break |
4.45 – 5.00 pm |
Dr Donato Somma & Dr Lena van der Hoven: |
7.00 pm |
Screening: |
Saturday, 20th October
10-12 am |
Meeting of internal working group |