Cinema Nouveau and Ster-Kinekor Theatres present the opera - Satyagraha

Last edited: December 20, 2011

Posted by Business and Arts South Africa

The fifth season of the Met opera released exclusively at Cinema Nouveau and select Ster-Kinekor Theatres this November and Satyagraha is the next renowned opera production audiences can look forward to. This opera is particularly close to South African hearts as much of the storyline refers to the legendary Ghandi and his incredible work to uplift and free the local community in Tolstoy Farm in the early 1900s.

Releasing on 9 December 2011, Satyagraha was captured in HD while live on stage at the Met in New York, giving viewers the opportunity to experience opera at its best, and all in the comfort of their local Ster-Kinekor or Cinema Nouveau Theatre.

“Our fifth season of opera has been widely successful and the last three productions have come out as part of the Top 10 Cinema Nouveau titles during their release weekend. These attendances are testament to the appeal of opera to our local audiences, and we are looking forward to releasing Satyagraha in December, and are confident it will be greatly received,” says Raksha Singh of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.

Act I Tolstoy
Scene 1: The Kuru Field of Justice. A battle is impending between two royal families, the Kuruvas and the Pandavas. Lord Krishna instructs Prince Arjuna to be wise in matters of death and duty. Gandhi draws a parallel between the mythic confrontation and the present one.

Scene 2: Tolstoy Farm (1910). Gandhi has initiated the first collective action among South Africa’s Indian residents and established Tolstoy Farm where families live a simple life in harmony with each other. He proclaims that work is preferable to idleness, if one’s motives are free from desire.

Scene 3: The Vow (1906). The British government proposes a law for registration of all Indians, the Black Act. At a public meeting, a resolution is drawn up stating that all will resist the Act into death.

The Satyagrahis have come to a turning point: the life-and-death terms of the resolution call for a step beyond ordinary majority vote. Only a vow taken in the name of God will support an individual’s observance of the resolution.

Intermission

Act II Tagore
Scene 1: Confrontation and Rescue (1896. Gandhi has spent six months in India talking about conditions in South Africa. There is a wave of opposition among the European population when he returns to Durban, and a violent crowd pursues him on through the town. A European supporter declares Gandhi’s opponents fools, corrupted by pride and hypocrisy and escorts him home.

Scene 2: Indian Opinion (1906)The weekly publication of Indian Opinion is central to the Satyagraha movement, and the paper reflects the growth of its principles. Setting a standard with a strong internal policy, it becomes a powerful weapon for the struggle. Gandhi’s wife and his associates restate the importance of working for a cause rather than for one’s own gratification.

Scene 3: Protest (1908) Movement leaders have been sentenced to jail for refusing to leave South Africa. The community resolves to protest by filling up the jail, getting themselves arrested for various offenses. The government proposes to repeal the Black Act if the majority of Indians undergoes voluntary registration, but then puts the law into effect anyway. The Satyagrahis issue their own ultimatum: if the act is not withdrawn, Indians will burn their certificates. When the government refuses, the certificates are set ablaze. Gandhi preaches about the importance of bearing no hatred toward anyone.

Intermission

Act III King
New Castle March (1913). When the government breaks its public promise to repeal two racially discriminatory laws, a miners’ strike is organized. Led by Gandhi, the miners and their families join the Satyagraha army and march to the Transvaal border. If arrested, the 5,000 would flood the jails. If allowed to proceed to Tolstoy Farm, they would prolong the strike. The army is instructed to stand any test without opposition.

Talking about the soul’s return to Brahma, Gandhi proclaims: “The Lord said, I have passed through many a birth and many have you, I know them all but you do not. For whenever the law of righteousness withers away and lawlessness arises, then do I generate myself on earth, thrusting the evil back and setting virtue on her seat again?”

Satyagraha features minimal subtitles. Composer Philip Glass used as his text the ancient Sanskrit scripture the Bhagavad Gita, which does not relate to the actual action taking place on stage. Glass did not wish the text to be understood -- just to be heard -- and to allow the actions on stage to speak for themselves.

Satyagraha running time is approximately 5 hours, including two intermissions.

The other opera productions to look forward to this season are:

Rodelinda composed by Handel 23 December 2011
Faust composed by Gounod 6 January 2012
The Enchanted Island composed by various 10 February 2012
Götterdämmerung composed by Wagner 2 March 2012
Ernani composed by Verdi 16 March 2012
Manon composed by Massenet 27 April 2012
La Traviata composed by Verdi 4 May 2012

These will be released at the following sites:

Cinema Nouveau - Gateway
Cinema Nouveau - Cavendish
Cinema Nouveau - V&A
Cinema Nouveau - Rosebank
Cinema Nouveau - Brooklyn

Ster-Kinekor - Irene Mall
Ster-Kinekor - Shelly Beach
Ster-Kinekor - The Bridge
Ster-Kinekor - Vincent Park
Ster-Kinekor - Somerset
Ster-Kinekor - Bedford centre

Each of these awe-inspiring productions, coming exclusively to Cinema Nouveau and select Ster-Kinekor Theatres, are guaranteed to leave you breathless – whether you are an opera connoisseur or simply want to experience exceptional musicality and culture.

www.sterkinekor.com| Mobi-site: www. sterkinekor.mobi |Ticketline: 082 16789 | Facebook: Ster-Kinekor Theatres | Follow us on Twitter: @SKTheatres

Ends.

Notes to the Editor
About Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau
Cinema Nouveau is a division of Ster-Kinekor Theatres (South Africa’s largest cinema exhibitor) and operates 16 digital cinema houses with 34 screens and almost 4 500 seats. The five theatre sites are spread across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. Cinema Nouveau holds the prestige of being one of the worlds’ only dedicated “art cinema” chains, screening independent, alternative and art cinema content from cultures all over the globe. It’s a distinguished cinema experience and a destination for film lovers with a passion for the beauty and artistry of film.

About Ster-Kinekor Theatres
A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Primedia Group, Ster-Kinekor is the leader in bringing blockbuster films to its audiences across the country and, despite South Africans watching their pockets, Ster-Kinekor has seen an increase in cinema attendance year on year. With 56 local movie complexes situated in prime locations like Sandton City, Gateway and Cavendish Square, and a further three abroad in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Ster-Kinekor can entertain up to 63 000 movie goers with 400 big screens. From action and suspense, to romance and comedy’s, Ster-Kinekor Theatres offer the latest the film industry has to offer. And if it’s 3D you’re after, than you’ll be pleased to know that SK has 58 state-of-the-art 3D cinemas, securing its 3D footprint in the country and keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Issued By: The Lime Envelope
On Behalf Of: Ster-Kinekor Theatres
For Media Information: Svenja Gernoth
Telephone: 011 704 7770
E-mail: svenja@thelime.co.za