This year's Cape Town RMB Starlight Classics concert was held at Vergelegen,
as it has been for the last 25 years; it was a huge success
We are always honoured to be invited and were really impressed with the whole production this year,
so very professional and seamless, with superb musical performances by the cast
The concert is also an annual event in Johannesburg in the following September
It is recorded live and shown on DSTV television before the next year's concert
It is open to invited RMB guests
and the public, who can buy tickets and bring their picnics, chairs and blankets
A farewell message from Richard Cock, who has retired He originated and inspired the Starlight Concerts
He said "I have been a partner at Starlight for the last 25 years. It is now time to hand over
to younger conductors and directors who will take over and take the RMB Starlight Classics to its next stage
I have had a fantastic time doing it, I've really loved it and hope to be in the audience going forward
Thank you to the audiences for all you have meant to me
I thank you and RMB for the support you have given me over the past many years"
He shall be missed
and then the concert began with CTPO conductor Brandon Phillips conducting the National Anthem
played by the magnificent Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. We all stood and sang lustily
Co-Host for the evening, Steinway artist Charl du Plessis on his very own Steinway!
He played an excerpt from the rousing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat, Op. 23 with the Orchestra
Just the way to get us in the mood for the magic to follow
Cohosts for the evening Katlego Maboe and Charl du Plessis
RMB CEO Emrie (Emmarentia) Brown opened the proceedings with a welcome
"Tonight is bringing us together to enjoy some of South Africa's musical talent under a magnificent starlit sky"
She thanked Vergelegen, partner in hosting this event, where the concert has been held since its inception 25 years ago
"Talent meets dedication to excellence, meets creativity, ability and hard work
It takes huge effort to produce a world class performance
A pivotable moment to showcase the spirit of our country
and the potential of our continent to play our role in shaping the world stage
It's a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together,
when we unite as a nation singing and playing off the same hymn sheet"
The wonderfully talented and recently formed Itemba Youth Choir from the Cape township of Khayelitsha
got us all happy and singing along with the song Cover me with Sunshine
The costumes are always wonderfully bright
There are very good soloists in the Choir
Cape Ballet Africa dancing to Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers from the ballet The Nutcracker
Singing with great voice and passion Oh Mi Bambino Caro from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi
was Soprano Noluvuyiso "Vuvu" Mpofu
Ross Learmont, the former lead singer of Prime Circle, now an artist in his own right, sang Hello and Honey
Heinrich Sutton, a talented pianist
gave an excellent performance of an excerpt from Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor at the Steinway
At the age of just 17, he was the overall winner of the Pretoria Eisteddfod Instrumental Division 2023
in the SASMT Ensemble Competition 2023 and was overall winner of the Atterbury National Piano Competition 2023
A view from above of his hands racing across the keys
Nomcebo Ikothi came on stage to wow us with a song we all became so familiar with during Covid, Jerusalema
It always makes Lynne cry, remembering the horrors of that sad time when so many were dying alone
and the medical staff of overwhelmed hospitals tried to cheer us up with their performances of this song
singing and dancing in their rare breaks, frequently shown to us on line
And, yes, some of us got up and danced
To help with understanding Opera, sung in many different languages,
the stage now has surtitle in English above performers
The three Mzantzi Tenors, Vuyisa Xipu, Sakhi Martins, and Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi
singing one of the most difficult arias for tenors with not one but eight of the highest notes for tenors -
Donizetti's Mes Amis and they hit every note perfectly
Melody, harmony and rhythm next
Soprano Noluvuyiso "Vuvu" Mpofu sang the rousing aria Habanera from Bizet's Opera Carmen which was interwoven ....
... with Ross Learmont singing Some People with dancers from the Cape Ballet Africa
Mzantsi flavour and Starlight style, the Itemba Youth Choir performed Jabulani
Banyana Banyana (SA women's football team) Captain Refiloe Jane was sitting near us
and we chatted with her about her sport
She is also an Olympian as the team played in the Olympics in Paris in the summer of 2024
Next, a Mary Poppins song, Chim Chim Cher-ee
performed by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Brandon Phillips
with dancers from Cape Ballet Africa
The Mzansi Tenors and Choir then did a tribute to President Mandela singing Labi Siffre's famous struggle song
Something Inside so Strong, accompanied by many memorable photos of our late president
His trial
Imprisonment on Robben Island
and his Presidency
It was emotional
Then it was time for the Interval
Soprano Noluvuyiso "Vuvu" Mpofu opened the second half of the concert
with Costa Diva from Bellini's opera Norma, so, so beautifully sung
with surtitles and a background echoing the opera
which is set in ancient Gaul (modern-day France) during the Roman occupation, around 50 B.C
Time to light our candles and listen to the beautiful song All of me and All of you by John Legend
sung by the Mzantsi Choir, with dancers from Cape Ballet Africa
A view looking back towards the Manor House of the audience with their Starlight candles lit
Old friends and fellow media people, Joanne Gibson and her husband Patrick were behind us,
so we had some catching up to do
Johann Pachelbel's Canon played by Charl du Plessis and the orchestra
with an intertwining arrangement of She Always Gets What She Wants sung by Ross Learmonth
It worked remarkably well
Waving the candles in time to the music
and holding them high to show support, as you can't clap holding a lit candle!
Katlego Maboe singing one of Lynne's favourite songs Smile written by Charlie Chaplin,
accompanied on the Steinway piano by Charl du Plessis
Starlight in action - Candles raised and moved in time to the music
The backgrounds are adventurous and change for each song
Now the three Mzantzi Tenors conquered the audience with two very familiar Italian songs
O Solo Mio and La Donne e Mobile and we could all sing along to the choruses
Taking it in turns and having fun
Nomcebo Zikode of Afro Pop with the Ithema Youth Choir
sang a popular song in IsiXhosa and again had the audience up and dancing
Dressed in traditional Xhosa outfits
and was then joined by Noluvuyiso "Vuvu" Mpofu in her traditional Zulu outfit
to sing a popular song in Zulu from her background
Charl du Plessis and young Heinrich Sutton horsing around on the piano trying to play a duet,
much comedy, movement of seats and hands, it reminded us of Victor Borge
The orchestra then played Mussorgsky's Night on the Bare Mountain
Time for some sing along jukebox hits with the Itemba Youth Choir: You Can't Hurry Love, Weekend Special, Stand by Me, Tonights Gonna be a Good Night, Easy Go and SMTWTFS
The audience standing, singing and dancing along, always a great part of the evening
The choir was joined by Katlego Maboe
Capturing the moment!
Ross Learmont joined the Choir for You got the music in you
And the final aria, sung by Soprano Noluvuyiso "Vuvu" Mpofu and the three Tenors,
“Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici” the drinking song from the opera La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
The perfect song to end a fantastic evening. But was it the end? It never is, there always is an encore....
The entire cast then came on stage and sang Celebration with us
There was dancing in the aisles
After a wonderful concert, possibly the best we have attended, we went back to the new "Crystal Palace" venue,
the Riverside Conservatory (Great for weddings and big celebrations)
for a bite or two of dessert before hitting the road
We do not drive back home at this late hour, but gratefully found a bed with dear friends
who live very close, in Somerset West
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