Zimbabwe: Political Climate Scares Off Hifa Performers

Zimbabwe: Political Climate Scares Off Hifa Performers

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

26 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008

John Mokwetsi

FIVE performers billed to take part at the Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA) have pulled out because of the current volatile political situation, Standardplus has heard.

Among them are members of the London Festival Opera, who were due to stage one of opera's most revered works, Tosca. The members include Jacqueline Miura, Cameron Rolls, Tom McVeigh and Jenny Trew.

They are to be replaced by Alenka Ponjavic, described as one of the brightest stars on the British opera scene. Her sensual programme for HIFA 2008 includes works by Quilter, Mompou and Poulenc, as well as others by Dobrinka Tabakova.

Jill Day, a HIFA spokesperson, confirmed some of the performers had notified HIFA they would not be coming to the festival.

"I have to say I think it is remarkable that so few people have dropped out, given the international media coverage we are receiving: we have 120 international artistes coming and those who are not have been replaced by able and good artistes," she said.

Les Amazonnes de Guinee, an all-women band from West Africa sponsored by the Embassy of France, CultureFrance and Alliance Francaise, have been replaced by Steve Dyer, a jazz composer, arranger, producer and performer.

He will lead a stellar group of musicians in the Main Stage performance. Improvising and taking chances, the group forges new ideas while exploring form and structure rooted in Africa.

Both performances of Angie Nussey, Canada's Female Performer of the Year, will be replaced by Matthew Gair, a South African musician.

French musician Pascal Danae has been replaced by Tony Cox who was born in Zimbabwe and is now residing in Johannesburg.

Cox is a multiple award-winning acoustic guitarist.

Standardplus has also learnt that the British Council's Power in the Voice competition that was to involve local students hangs in the balance.

A source at the British Council said: "The procedure is that we are supposed to ask the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture for permission to use the students, but as things stand now it's hard to see how that will be possible.

I cannot for certain say we will go ahead and do it."

The Festival's founder and artistic director, Manuel Bagorro confirmed some artistes had declined to perform.

"We were obviously disappointed as they were good acts to have been approached by the Festival, but considering that they constitute less than five percent of the programme, it is staying pretty much as it was.

We take our hats off to our performers who will be here in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe."