The Song of the Carnivores
- 29/ 5/ 2012 <--Prev : Next-->
I was never more proud to be a Zimbabwean, and never more disgusted, all in one evening.
During the world premiere of the fabulous musical "The Song of the Carnivores" the narrator Petroc Trelawny was arrested publicly on stage in front of a capacity audience and the 500 school children performing this wonderful musical.
Petroc Trelawny is a British classical music radio and BBC3 television broadcaster, who regularly presents Music Matters, In Tune and Live in Concert.
Petroc has been intimately involved in Zimbabwe for many years as a pro bono narrator for musical matters involving the Zimbabwe Academy of Music and Performing Arts Bulawayo.
When is this madness going to stop ? Every time an election looms so does the ugly side of Zimbabwe.
The Song of the Carnivores was an absolute triumph in itself. Written by Richard Sisson, the world premiere performance was a culmination of a years work to conceive a musical that will I am sure be carried forward in time immemorial.
It will be impossible to capture and convert the joie de vivre, the atmosphere, the patriotism that engulfed the performance as 500 little people sang to their hearts content about Africa's five giant magical carnivores the lion, the leopard, the cheetah, the wild dog and the hyena.
The lyrics were wonderful, derived from poetry by Peggy Lendrum, Edgar Langevelt and Jordan Edwards, submitted as a competition.
Seldom have the hallowed portals of the majestic large city hall in Bulawayo been subject to such fervor and musical excitement.
Choirs came from schools all over the city and the entire massed choir swayed like the enchanting grasses through which the five endangered carnivores creep stealthily towards their prey.
The orchestra was manned by local gifted musicians and augmented by the incredible musicians who were part of the 8th Bulawayo Music Festival. It was indeed a festival to be remembered, not only for the Song of the Carnivores but by the five non stop days of amazing musical festivities that wove from one magical piece to another.
Kudos, giant bowls of them must go to the indefatigable Michael Bullivant and his committee.
Thank you to Performing Arts Bulawayo and the Zimbabwe Academy of Music for inspiring our love for our country and its animals, and indeed for our fellow man.
