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Oniyama in maiden Hifa appearance

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THIS year’s line-up at Hifa includes appearances by English singer-songwriter Josephine Oniyama and Paul Colman directing a modern choral performance of Karl Jenkins’ Stabat Mater.

THIS year’s line-up at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) includes appearances by English singer-songwriter Josephine Oniyama and Paul Colman directing a modern choral performance of Karl Jenkins’ Stabat Mater. Tinashe Sibanda

The British Council, a longstanding partner of Hifa, has teamed up with the festival to make it the Zimbabwean and African success story. Oniyama’s style had been described by The Times as “a Grace Jones-like hint of Jamaican to her voice and a hypnotic way with precisely phrased poetry”.

Oniyama will be making her maiden appearance at the festival backed by her equally impressive band.

Her performances at the festival are billed for tomorrow and on Saturday.

Colman will be directing the choral performance of Jenkins’ Stabat Mater which is being presented under the KPMG Classical Music programme in partnership with Hifa and the British Council.

“The performances, which will take place on Thursday (tomorrow) and Friday, will feature a blend of local and international artistes such as American mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann, the Amici String Quartet, Will McNicol (guitar), Jeanette Micklem (piano), Ruth Chard (organ and chorus coach), percussionists Aldo Aranda, Dylan Tabisher and Cherilee Adams, and a choir that brings together Harare’s finest singers,” said British Council programmes officer, Melody Sango.

Other performances supported by the British Council include the two dance pieces which will most likely not disappoint dance enthusiasts of all ages.

The award-winning Ponydance Theatre Company from Ireland will be presenting a dance show laced with comedy titled Anybody Waitin.

They will present three performances today, tomorrow and on Friday.

Acclaimed Zimbabwean dancer/choreographer McIntosh Jerahuni of Jerahuni Movement Factory will also present a contemporary dance piece titled Dakham, which is part of the show, Circus and Movement presented in partnership with Tumbuka and Dance Trust of Zimbabwe on Sunday.

“The British Council’s theatre programme in partnership with Developing Artists will feature Chipo Chung, John Pfumojena and Tichaona Mutore in The Maids.

“The Maids is a story of two outcasts struggling to overcome their servile identity in a world that refuses to acknowledge them,” said Sango. The play seeks to unravel the relationship between the mistress and the maid.

Three performances are billed for this show tomorrow, on Friday and on Sunday