Review: Princess MagogoRobyn Sassen04/29/2009 09:49:53 
Copyright Artslink.co.za © 1997-2010 Review: Princess Magogo My View by Robyn Sassen: “Princess Magogo” is an important fusion between western and African culture, but one narratively thwarted.  The fusion phenomenon of the opera “Princess Magogo Kadinuzulu” in isiZulu begs the existence of opera Africanists. Like other operas before it, “Princess Magogo” is based on history. This stultifies and liberates the text - enabling the princess to represent an almost mythical part in Zulu history, but forcing the tale to stick to an awareness of an historical ‘truth’, which can make it rather dry. This challenge has been confronted by those who built the opera, engaging with the cross-cultural references that come of the clashes between traditional and colonialist ideologies. A lot of this spectacle is truly astonishing. Underlined by a superb musical score, which ebbs and flows around the traditional music played on stage, the performances are vocally awe-inspiring. Sound is carried with magnificence; in several ensemble scenes, the drama evoked with the play of all the different narrative, traditional and historical elements, is sheer achievement, making you want to drink up its gorgeousness, from the costumes to the layout of characters to the set. This is not, however, consistent. The first problem is the slicing of opera into tiny little historical sequences in which something happens, the curtains descend, and then something else happens. In an opera comprising 19 scenes, this downplays the narrative flow, reducing something wonderful and grand into a sequence of train-like compartments. The second issue is also connected to the narrative’s flow. Things happen or appear that have no meaningful context - clearly the Princess’ brother must have been conceived before her parents were murdered, but his appearance as a young dreadlocked adult is a surprise indeed. Also, in one scene, we have the elderly Princess (Tina Mene), speaking for herself as a child. This conflation of past and future is clumsy, making Mene seem as though she’s stepped into the wrong set, which causes further crumbling of this work. A more serious problem for the readability of the work is the surtitles. Surely of all the production professionals involved in the making of this work, one could have cast an eye over the grammar, meaningfulness and correlation of the surtitles with the work in performance. They either flash by your sensibilities on greased wheels and are gone by the time you’ve raised your eyes or they’re completely absent. When they are there, however, the translation is so appalling, they may as well be absent. This plays into the sloppiness for which local entertainment has a reputation. The surtitle issue conjoins that of context; often clan names are mentioned once, but never again. This leaves you not only not knowing where these people fit the story, but not caring. The tale of “Princess Magogo” is simple; rendered unnecessarily complicated by incompetent storytelling. Having said all of that, the Zulu and Shembe dancing in this work is tight, well-co-ordinated and articulate, which makes for muscular and satisfying watching. The set is simple and symmetrical with the odd exception of a weird figurative image down the side of the stage. Is this an initiation figure? Is it meant to be a Zulu ancestor? Either way, it lacks conviction. That, together with an array of rather roughly drawn Zulu headrests around the stage, render the work a little trivial in its aesthetic. “Princess Magogo” is undeniably important, but there are too many short cuts taken that make the narrative, the cultural history and the value of it an obscure secret to a non-Zulu audience. “Princess Magogo” composed by Mzilikazi Khumalo and directed by Themi Venturas, with libretto by Themba Msimang, orchestration by Michael Hankinson and design by Andrew Verster (set), Declan Randall (lighting) and Bongani Zulu and Themi Venturas (choreography). Conducted by Vincent de Kort and performed by Kelebogile Boikanyo, Matthew Cheketri, Khumbuzile Dlamini, Ayanda Eleki, Ayanda Hlongwa, Righard Linde, Otto Maidi, Andiswa Makana, Themba Maseko, Muziwezipho Mdletshe, Nonkululeko Nkwinti, Langalakhe Maluleka, Timothy Matlala, Tina Mene, Dingisono Mkhize, Cobus Smuts, Jacques Theron, Khotso Tsekeletsa, Thembisile Twala, and Raimondo van Staden, with Opera Africa Chorus, Zulu and Shembe Dancers and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, until May 3. The Mandela, Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein. Tel 011 877 6800. Picture: Yes Submitted by Robyn Sassen Telephone Number: 011 885 2548 Cellphone Number: 084 319 7844 Copyright 1997-2010, Artslink.co.za. All rights reserved. This article may not be copied, reproduced, published, uploaded, posted, "mirrored" or included on your own server or publication, re-used, transmitted or distributed to others, without the express permission of Artslink.co.za. 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