26 February

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26 – 30 March

Dance for All presents a series of workshops for all dance students, incorporating dance genres from jazz and hip hop to African and ballet. Proceeds go towards outreach in Cape Town.      Venue: 10 Aden Avenue, Athlone     Time: 9am – 6pm daily     Cost: R 750 for the whole week

Tel: 021 697 5509    Email: allison@danceforall.co.za

www.danceforall.co.za
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23 – 25 March

An interactive event during which participants practice yoga, dance and chant together.      Venue: Lievland Estate, Route 44, Stellenbosch    Time: tbc     Cost: R 200 – R 450 (kids < 12 free, 13 – 16 half price)

Email: info@spiritfestafrica.co.za

www.spiritfestafrica.co.za
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26 – 29 April

The annual expo for product launches and the showcasing of big brands as well as artisanal collectables and unique lifestyle options.     Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, 1 Lower Long St, Cape Town     Time:  Thurs, Fri & Sat @ 10am – 7pm, Sun @ 10am – 6pm   Cost: R 65 (kids < 12 R 10)
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24 March

TEDxSeaPoint presents Oceans Inspiration, Who Moved My Sushi? in which local and international speakers discuss ideas on saving the marine environment through idea sharing and lateral thinking.     Venue: The Pavillion, V&A Waterfront     Time: 8.45 am     Cost: R 300

www.tedxseapoint.com
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This is the madrigal music of sixteenth century composer Claudio Monteverdi as performed by the Cape Consort at The Fugard Studio. The saying plus ça change, plus c’est pareil certainly rang true as the audience related remarkably easily to the love and peril of the characters. And the Cape Consort must be commended for making this late renaissance music so accessible to a twenty-first century audience.

The CapeConsortis an early music ensemble originally founded by Andrew Cruickshank (harpsichord) and Hans Huyssen (Baroque cello). The group specialises in ‘historically informed’ performances in a contemporary spirit on period instruments. The primary objective of the Monteverdi Project – Part I is to celebrate Monteverdi’s central role in the developing relationship between music and drama.

Claudio Monteverdi was the first great opera composer and his contribution to the madrigal music (a complex, polyphonic and, importantly, secular vocal composition) is said to have transformed this genre into the most expressive music of the sixteenth century. The success and continued popularity of his compositions can be attributed to his belief in the power of music to arouse feelings and emotions with the audience.

Monteverdi regarded music as the servant of words and he associated each emotional state or mood with a particular musical idea. Joy, he considered, is best expressed through the use of wide melodic intervals, while sadness is depicted by narrower and even chromatic intervals. TheCapeConsortsucceeded splendidly in conveying this diverse range of colour in Monteverdi’s madrigals.

The projection of the original text in a more understandable (and hip) idiom was very entertaining. Some complained that the projection and animation in the background was distracting, but many others enjoyed the playful translation and recognised all too well some of the laments of sixteenth century life. Men, it seems, did not listen then either. In fact their selective deafness back then was regarded as akin to that of a serpent. And hot babes also raved to tunes back in the day, albeit somewhat different tunes than those to which they rave today.

Yet, all is well that ends well and the lovesick characters of Monteverdi’s imagination celebrated the Arcadian world: where falling in love is at once the worst and the best thing that can happen, and where very little else ever does.

The Fugard Studio was the perfect venue for this performance and contributed to the warm and relaxed mood amongst the patrons. Don’t miss the last performance of this event on Sunday, 26 February 2012.

Andra le Roux-Kemp

The Matrix of the Madrigal Monteverdi Live (The Monteverdi Project – Part I) was performed at The Fugard Theatre on 19 February 2012. 

10 March

An annual family beach day with a big walk, a sandcastle competition, games and a big dig. Funds raised go towards Kommetjie Pre-Primary.      Venue: Long Beach, Kommetjie      Time: 9.30 am – 12.30 am     Cost: Free

Tel: 021 783 1409
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