The annual Maitisong Festival is back again for the 22nd time since 1987, when it was launched.
The festival has, over the years, become the most anticipated cultural event of the year, bringing world-class entertainment to Gaborone. It hosts a variety of acts ranging from local theatre, renowned musicians, magicians and cooking.
This year’s festival is a three-week affair, the highlights of which are listed below:
Circus of Dreams
The showcase was conceived and directed by Aldo Brincat, who brought Sarafina in 2007. It is a combination of live music, magic, mime, special performance skills and juggling.
With special tables laid out, audiences have an option of arriving early with a packed dinner for their family.
Voice of Live
Presented by Youth Health Organisation (YOHO) with a program that will demonstrate the YOHO Triple E ÔÇô Entertainment, Education, for Empowerment. The evening will feature poetry, drama and music from popular artists such as Vee, Maxy and Culture Spears.
Magik Malik
Malik, a jazz musician born in Guadeloupe, brings a new and cerebral type of jazz to the Maitisong Festival – sponsored by Alliance Francaise and French Embassy.
Apart from Malik Mezzadri, orchestra members include Sarah Murcia (bass), Or Salomon (keyboards), Maxime Zampieri (percussions), Denis Guivarch (saxophone), as well as several guest artists, such as Gilles Coronado (guitar), Dj Rebel (turn-tables), Jean-Luc Lher (electric bass), Bo Wanderwerf (baritone and tenor saxophone), and Steve Coleman (alto saxophone).
Happy.Period.(As in full stop) and Diary of a Nobody
These two productions are performed by Juanita Azannai, Refiloe Lepere and Ayanda Khala who last performed Men Are Money for Shoes at Maitisong in 2007. The plays are an exploration of the pursuit of happiness by young women living in Africa. The performance is interactive; the audience is encouraged to engage in dialogue and to debate issues with the characters on stage.
Peace Concert – An Afternoon of Chamber Music
An afternoon of chamber music, featuring Mozart’s piano quartet in g minor, Dvorak’s piano quintet ÔÇô Dumka, Telemann’s recorder and flute quartet with continuo, Elgar’s two songs: Virelai and Morning (Chanson de Matin) for violin and piano.
Musicians are David Slater, Lala Liu, Sadhana Ravikumar, Gudrun Weeks, Margaret Taylor, Dora Berger, Darius and Likezo Kamwi.
A strictly Dance Spectacular and Remember the Time
A double bill that features dance and a tribute to Michael Jackson.
Ntirelang Berman’s Acoustics
Best Folklore award winner at the second Botswana Music Union Awards. Berman will deliver a 45-minute showcase that will testify Botswana’s rich folk music.
The music featured at the show will include vocals done in a Tswana Folk tradition and will feature poetry, harmonica and whistle. There will be English narration and the show will close with a 10 minute Audience/Performer open stage session of questions and
answers.
Clockwork
A story read by a Standard seven student about a King who drives his sledge back at his castle one night; when he arrives, the guards at the gate discover that he is dead, cold as ice and yet his arm that lashed the whip over the terrified horses that pulled the sledge, continues to move back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
New Beginning Musical
Featuring Mogwana Traditional Dancers, Sedibeng Choral Society, Maru-A-Pula Marimbas and Baobab Primary School children. In line with the Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, these three groups have taken the Baobab youngsters under their wing, to teach , inspire and motivate them to learn the art and skill of these three wonderful disciplines.
Word Power and Laughter
Words heal, words sooth, guide and bring relief. Words bring laughter, words bring smiles and lighten loads. Join the wordsmiths from EXODUS LIVE POETRY! and the tickle-me-funny-bone crew from ‘Laff-a-little, Laff-a-lot’ as they take you through a journey that promises to be a barrel of laughs, whilst serving a deep dish of food for thought.
French Cine Club
Screens Je vous trouve tr├¿s beau (┬½You’re so handsome┬╗), a movie. When Aym├®’s work partner and wife dies suddenly in an unfortunate accident, he quickly realizes that he needs someone around to help him with the womanly half of the chores. An unsentimental sort, within days he’s contacted a service to find him a new wife. This brings him to Romania, and Elena, a single mother, who is eager to move to France and make some money.
Weekend Special
Weekend Special’ is a dynamic mix of production design and physical comedy. The multi-skilled actresses, Yule Mahbena and Deborah Da Cruz, perform a range of characters in what is an innovative and compelling insight into the everyday life of a township girl with Big Dreams.
BIFM-EU Festival Concert
A night of operatic singing featuring Botswana’s opera stars, Angela Kerrison, Gape Motswaledi, Tshenolo Segokgo, Boyce Batlang and Oteng Zachariah. Sedibeng Choral Society and KTM are also featured. The concert is in two instalments, a free childrens performance and evening show.
Cooking is an Art
It’s presented by 7 Gaborone Sun chefs and LBS beverage team at the Maitisong. They will showcase a starter, main course and a dessert live while you watch, ask questions and, of course, be given the opportunity to taste the food thereafter.
