A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, MOVEMENT AND SUMMERTIME

A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, MOVEMENT AND SUMMERTIME

This festive season the V&A Waterfront and Hunta Live will take entertainment to a whole new level with the introduction of AQUAFestival, a brand new V&A Waterfront Signature Event. The three-week long music and entertainment festival comprises a multi-disciplined series of world-class local and international performances. This unique celebration of music and movement is set to change the face of the entertainment scene in Cape Town over the festive season.

Set on a floating aquatic stage in a working harbour, with TableMountain providing the most exquisite backdrop imaginable, AQUAFestival will showcase contemporary opera, ballet, jazz, rock, pop, tribute shows and a daily circus from the 15th of December till the 6th of January 2010.

Date: 15 December 2009 to 6 January 2010

Times: 14h00 to 15h00 – AQUACircus

20h00 – evening performances [duration 90 to 100 minutes]

NOTE: a second 22h30 performance is scheduled for 31 December

Venue: NorthWharf V&A Waterfront

Performance Schedule:

HOpera

15, 16 and 17 December09

53 Piece Orchestra – The Cape Town Philharmonic. Conducted by Richard Cock

4 Soloists performing crowd pleasing arias across various famous operas and popular musicals.

Tenor – Brad Cooper (Australia)

Mezzo – Olesya Patrova (RUSSIA)

Bass – Otto Maidi (SA)

Soprana – Pretty Yende (SA)

100 Minutes – No Interval

The Parlotones

18 December

100 Minutes – No Interval

Freshlyground

19 December

90 Minutes – No Interval

Homage to Mariam Makeba

20 & 21 December

50 piece orchestra – The Cape Town Philharmonic. Conducted by Allan Stephenson

12 piece rhythm section.

Soloist – Sibongile Khumalo supported by local artist Nomfundi Xavula

A tribute to one of the continents most celebrated performers by her close friend and another South African legend of the stage.

90 Minutes – No Interval

AQUACarols

22 to 24 December

53 Piece Orchestra – The Cape Town Philharmonic. Conducted by Richard Cock

60 Piece Choir – with guest soloist Kimmi Skota (SA)

Audience participation encouraged!

100 Minutes – No Interval

Johnny Clegg

26 to 28 December

Johnny Clegg and 10 piece band

100 Minutes – No Interval

AQUACircus by Zip -Zap

16 to 31 December

A water-themed circus with appropriate marine sets, juggling penguins, high flying dolphins, clown fish and more.

60 Minutes – No Interval

AQUAbba

29 to 31 December

NOTE: two performances are scheduled for 31 December [20h00 and 22h30]

20 piece Orchestra – 8 piece Band – plus a DJ

4 well known South African singers

Ground pyrotechnics and Lasers will add a visual dimension.

90 Minutes – No Interval

AQUAJazz

1 January 2010

18 piece Big Band Jazz featuring the top musicians in Cape Town – conducted by Mike Campbell

Featuring Judith Sephuma, Robbie Jansen and Gavin Minter

100 Minutes – No Interval

AQUABallet

2 and 3 January 2010

Cape Town Ballet Company will perform a Three Act Ballet:

Act One – Act Two from Tchaikovskys SwanLake The Dance of the Swans.

Act Two – an original African Ballet piece choreographed for AquaFestival

Act Three – a selection from The Nut Cracker

90 Minutes – No Interval

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

4 to 6 January 2010

The Multi Grammy Award winners will perform their most popular songs.

90 Minutes – No Interval

NOTE: the audience will be seated on the banks outside the aquarium, from where they will have a view of the specially constructed stage floating on the sea directly in front of them with TableMountain providing the ultimate backdrop.

Tickets available from Computicket and more info on www.aquafestival.com

Gwen Ironsi

Hunta Live

Tel: 021 425 4020

gwen@huntalive.com