BROKEN CHORD

»The African Choir« was the name given to a chorus of young, South African singers, who toured Great Britain and North America by ship between 1891 and 1893, some 130 years ago. The highlight of their tour was a performance for Queen Victoria. The journey left its mark on the singers – a number of them became leading activists and social reformers in their homeland. Despite considerable success, no recordings were made of their performances. It was not until 2014 that photos of the journey were discovered in the Hulton Archive in London – the first comprehensive documentation of African visitors to Victorian London. Following this rediscovery, Thuthuka Sibisi, the Musical Director of BROKEN CHORD created the installation »The African Choir 1891 Re-imagined«, which formed the basis and inspiration for Gregory Maqoma’s new piece of choreographed music theatre. Maqoma, who appears on stage himself, integrates traditional Xhosa dance elements with his own, contemporary dance style. The source and inspiration for the music was an old concert programme listing the historic choir’s song titles. The music was then devised anew, based on traditional African songs and missionary choral works handed down from Victorian times. BROKEN CHORD follows the story of some members of the choir in biographical fragments that reflect British colonial politics. The work looks back on and questions the role of the European colonial powers in both the course and the reception of South African history – at a time when the return of works that were stolen in that period has become a hotly discussed topic. The South African a cappella quartet is supplemented by a 16-strong choir of alumni from the Rutheneum in Gera.

To increase your anticipation, check out the following link for a sneak peek.