MEDIATHEK

“Ubuntu the Opera” is a story about the struggle for democracy in South Africa. The character Ubuntu represents pure consciousness and remains on stage throughout. The character Ubuntu is based on the Vedic concept of Purusha. In the Vedas, Purusha is perfect man – so perfect that he resist the temptation to take on physical form. The opera opens with a prologue in which Gaia goddess mother earth states the constitution of her domain.

The opera deals with chronological highlights of the struggle based specifically on the lives of Nelson and Winnie Mandela.
 Ubuntu gets to give us the higher consciousness aspect of the story as well as serving as narrator for this epic tale.

The chorus, which needs to be a minimum of 60 singers, is the main protagonist, and the work can be regarded as a chorus opera like Verdi's “Nabucco.

The opera is written in a post-verismo style and crosses over to  African indigenous music on several occasions, leaving a distinct African flavour as does Puccini's “Turandot” for example.  The three main characters (Nelson, Winnie and Ubuntu) are baritone, soprano and tenor respectively. They all need to be 'spinto' in terms of voice
 'fach'.

The orchestra is 50 plus, for the pit in an opera house set-up.

The design is mostly a 3 dimensional holograhic  lighting concept so that each act as well as the prologue flows very much like movie without any pause for scene changes.

The final scene is the inauguration of Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings.