31 Mar 2009 On a seasonal note, be sure to catch one of the Playhouse Company’s two performances of Messiah, either next Thursday, April 9, at 7.30pm, or on Easter Sunday, April 13, at 3pm. Soprano Hanli Stapela, mezzo soprano Violina Anguelov, tenor Bongani Tembe and bass-baritone Thami Zungu will head the distinguished vocal line-up for this big scale, semi-staged presentation of Handel’s choral masterpiece in the Opera Theatre. The Durban Symphonic Choir and the Playhouse Company Choral join forces with the KZN Philharmonic under the baton of Naum Rousine.

An unusual feature of this year’s staging is the participation of Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company, who will interpret choreography workshopped by the dancers themselves with Lliane Loots. I called Loots to hear her take on her company’s participation. Loots concedes that Handel's music is so big and grand it posses some difficulties for a choreographer, adding that this is not music often associated with dance.

That said, she says Handel's music has long been part of her great love of Baroque music, “feeding a fascination with the spaces between the rhythms and melodies; the spaces that a choreographer likes best to inhabit. It offers an opportunity to create dance that rises up to the patterning of the music and that is, like Messiah, a great and glorious celebration of triumph over despair.” Loots has worked alongside six of her dancers who have all fed into the choreography, exploring the freedom accorded them by the production’s director Mark Hawkins, in twelve items from famous score.

This bold excursion into cultural ‘cross over’ is in keeping with Playhouse CEO Linda Bukhosini’s policy of encouraging cultural groups of different backgrounds to explore beyond each other’s artistic boundaries. Last year saw the Playhouse Company’s ground-breaking New Classics dance fusion commission, melding choreography by Desiré Davids that featured classically trained dancers alongside Zulu traditionalist guest performers, Omama Boxolo.

However, Bukhosini says that the music remains paramount in the forthcoming production of Messiah. She cites the work’s uplifting New Testament texts and Handel’s sublime music as an incentive for people of all persuasions to bond with each other, to put aside the aggressions that are prevalent right now, particularly with regard to political mud-slinging during the run-up to the imminent political elections. Messiah, says Bukhosini, creates a unique bridge over and above all this. “We encourage as many people who can do so to be part of this wonderful experience with us at The Playhouse next week.”

Booking for Messiah is through Computicket on 083 915 8000, or call Playhouse Box Office on0 31-369 9540 during office hours.