Joyous celebration in the Ford family when we get an invitation to the RMB Starlight Concert at Vergelegen. We so enjoy this annual concert which showcases such great South African talent and spoils its invited guests so well
A glass of Vergelegen's Florence rosé MCC to get us on the way to a fantastic evening
and a walk through Lady Phillips garden in full late summer bloom and then through the Manor HouseThe concert is held on the lawn beyond the 17th Century Manor House and the historic Camphor Trees
Lady Phillips' famous rose garden
The food was laid out at a couple of enormous meze tables, with cold roast beef, rare for those who wanted it, well done for the others,
superb smoked salmon, cheeses, Dips, olives, salads, a selection of crackers,
rolls, bread and some biltong sticks and droëwors
Canapés were served as well and there were hot food stations run by students from the Silwood School of Cookery Pasta, Vegetarian, Asian, Curry, all prepared and served by the students
Time to go and reserve a seat on the aisle for John, who does not want to obstruct other members of the audience while he takes the photographs
We were quite far forward this year and it did give us a better perspective of the show
The paying customers are at the back of the lawn near the TV cameras The programme is usually recorded and we have seen it and enjoyed it on DSTV,
so we hope that will happen again this year
Everyone seated at 7.30 - almost time to begin
The concerts would not be the same if Conductor Richard Cock did not add his huge contribution
He opened the concert again this year, conducting the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra
with a tribute to the very talented American composer Henry Mancini
He got us and the orchestra going with a superb performance of three of Mancini's most famous film themes
The Pink Panther, Baby Elephant Walk and Peter Gunn
A close up of some of the orchestra's violinists
Emrie Brown, the CEO of Rand Merchant Bank, welcomed us and started the proceedings
This is the 24th year of the Starlight Concert at Vergelegen, and their contribution is valued by RMB
Then we all stood and the Cape Town Opera chorus led us all in a loudly and well sung National Anthem
Richard introduced his co-conductor Brandon Phillips, resident conductor of the Cape Philharmonic
and then Richard's co-presenter for the evening, TV and Radio personality Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp
It was her first time as compère of the event
Renowned opera tenor Lunga Hallam then sang the aria A Tanto Duol from Bernini's opera Bianca e Fernando
He has the most superb voice and a huge range. He gave us cold shivers, he was so good,
an artist heading for the top of his career with much more to come
Elana then introduced a very popular star who now titles herself "The One Who Sings",
Xolani Mahola, who became famous as a member of Freshly Ground
She told us she had the name bestowed on her by her village, where everyone has a title,
and how she is now building a solo career for herself showing her versatility
with opera now included in her pop and jazz repertoire. She sang Remember Who You Are
The Cape Town Opera Chorus with O Fortuna from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, so popular,
so well sung and ably conducted by Chevonne Plaatjies
Jo Black a well known singer/songwriter and performer in the Afrikaans world is from Pretoria
He sang his song Hope in Afrikaans
Amazing lighting effects
Goitsemang Lehobye, internationally celebrated classical South African soprano,
sang her rendition of Vilia, the Witch of the Woods, from The Merry Widow so beautifully
To loud applause and many Bravas
Jimmy Nevis – Versatile, urban R&B pop artist from Athlone, top of the pops in Cape Town,
sang his hit Heart Boxing
With dancers supporting him
Very talented young pianist Gerard Joubert, who won the UNISA Piano competition,
played highlights from Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra
Raising the atmosphere was a mobile image of the New York skyline, with a piano key simulation
and a mirror-image video of the pianist's fingers
Goodluck, SA’s chart-topping, electronic music band with singer Jules (Julia Harding), performed next
Joined by the dancers
Next, a beautiful duet from Puccini's La Bohème - O soave fanciulla
performed by Goitsemang Lehobye and Lunga Hallam
The last number of the first half was a song by Bono of U2, Where the Streets have No Name
Someone had turned up the Bass very loud and ruined this for the audience, as it was just too loud to hear the lyrics
All the performers came on stage to join in, including the opera chorus
Township streets also often have no names
After the interval, the second half of the Programme began with a demonstration of Sampling, using electronic music and then showing how it is integrated into the orchestra's performance
Next the orchestra played Chopin's Grande Valse Brillante Op.18 (Waltz in E flat major)
with Pianist Gerhard Joubert, with waltzing dancers
Jules and Goodluck performed I've been thinking about you
with dancers
Goitsemang Lehobye then performed the aria Quando men vo from La Bohème. So flirtatious, so beautifully sung
Time for us to light our candles, supplied to everyone in the audience
This is why its called the Starlight Concert - we supply the starlight
We held them up in time to the music
It is quite a sight and must be even better seen from the stage
Another aria by talented tenor Lunga Hallam
accompanied by the Cape Town Opera chorus
and versatile Jo Black has a great voice
He told us he is shy, "Imagine a person from Pretoria on stage with all these professional musicians?"
Jo, you are just as talented
Xolani tells us about her journey through music which has taken her to opera
Then she was joined by Goitsemang to sing the beautiful duet The Flower Song from Lakmé by Léo Delibes
Goitsemang insisted that Xolani sing the soprano lead and she did it very well. She is indeed very versatile
Time for all the performers to come on stage. The band at the back of the orchestra
... join Jo Black,
Jimmy Nevis,
Xolani, The One who Sings
and Jules
In a rousing rendition of Feeling Good, it's a New Day
Goitsemang and Lunga sang their version of the famous song by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, Endless Love
Elana and Richard announcing the next item
Jimmy Nevis and Xolani singing A Cry, a Smile and a Dance
Lunga sings La dance a Tarantelle by Rossini and had a few of us joining in the familiar Hunka Punka chorus
Taking a bow! The song is performed at such a rapid speed and he did it so well
Goitsemang, Jules and Xolani performing the moving song Symphony
which the audience loved
British wine master and author Remington Norman and his wife, Geraldine enjoying the show too
There are always superb lighting effects
Lunga with Richard Cock and the Opera Chorus having fun on stage
The song was I've Never Felt Like this Before with everyone in the cast on stage
It got the audience up dancing
And then it was time for some serious Rock and Roll which really got the place jumping
Jimmy Nevis and other members of the cast sang the Bruce Springsteen hit Dancing in the Dark
and My Life by Billy Joel. We all sang along to both
Old young friends of ours, Georgie and Evan Alexander, sitting across the aisle,
spotted Lynne bopping away to the music while John was capturing the action
We were rocking to the Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel songs sung by the performers
so Evan gave her a surprise twirl!
And then it was over. The audience demanded an Encore, which we were given
A really great concert
Thank you all at RMB and the orchestra, performers and background folk. And the costumes were amazing
Back into the forest for dessert, coffee and port while we waited for the traffic to abate
A huge selection of seriously naughty sweet things to enjoy. No, the Herons are not real
and a beautiful moon in scudding clouds to close the evening
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All accompanied by orange juice and, for one of us, an excellent Americano
