Festivalgoers can prepare to be captivated by more than a celebration of classical music at the 14th Klein Karoo Klassique in Oudtshoorn.
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The festival programme for this year will be held in the Klein Karoo from Thursday, August 3, to Sunday, August 6, and it will feature a variety of activities paired with music performed by some of South Africa’s top classical musicians. In addition to providing opportunities to meet musicians, the festival programme will also feature book talks, art exhibitions, a historical walking tour and a number of delectable food and wine experiences.
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The majority of the festivities for Klassique will take place upstairs at the Banqueting Hall and in the Civic Centre in the heart of Oudtshoorn. Following six musical performances, there will be a series of discussions where festival-goers can interact with musicians and have stimulating conversations with them about the nuances of the music.
Legendary South African musician Coenie de Villiers will serve as the facilitator for the first three musical panel discussions. Following their recital Aquila Duo: Echoes of Arcadia on Friday, August 4 at 10:30am, Louisa Theart (flute) and Nina Schumann (piano) will be the first to perform. Theart will perform with Dylan Tabisher (marimba & vibraphone) as part of the Mizar Duo on Friday at 4pm, which will be followed by a discussion. Harmony of Serenity: Arvo Pärt’s Musical Meditations (5 Aug 10:30am), performed by the trio of violinist Suzanne Martens, cellist Peter Martens and pianist Megan-Geoffrey Prins on Saturday, will be followed by a discussion.
The ever-popular Lynelle Kenned will take over as facilitator on Saturday afternoon. She will be joined by Suzanne Martens (violin), Matthew Stead (violin), Petrus Coetzee (viola), Jana Smit (viola), Peter Martens (cello), Rosamund Ender (cello), Fèroll-Jon Davids (clarinet), Shannon Thebus (French horn) and Nina Schumann (piano) to discuss their respective musical works after Sublime Sextets (5 Aug 14:00). A music discussion will follow each of the two recitals on Sunday, August 6. These will include the Handel’s Roman Cantatas-related last music discussion of the festival at 14:00 with Kenned (soprano), Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (soprano), Ralitza Macheva (baroque violin), Rosamund Ender (baroque cello & viola da gamba), Dale de Windt (chamber organ) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord & Director).
There will be three opportunities for festivalgoers to immerse themselves in the world of literature, through captivating book talks, made possible by NB Publishers. Esteemed author Tom Dreyer is set to talk about his debut volume of work, Nou in infrarooi (4 Aug 12:30), Wisani Mushwana will share insights into his first novel, A Soft Landing (5 Aug 12:30) and Nicole Jaekel Strauss will conclude the programme with an overview of her novel, Deelfontein. Book journalist Elna van der Merwe will be the facilitator. These and other books will also be available for sale at the Boekeparadys, where festivalgoers can choose between a range of books and souvenirs, as well as a few bargains.
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An array of Klein Karoo visual artists will showcase their art as part of the festival’s curated exhibition, ‘Earth has Music for those who Listen’. Curated by local artist Janet Dixon, this exhibition celebrates the intricate relationship between nature and music from a Klein Karoo perspective. Through a diverse range of artistic styles, the exhibition strives to elucidate harmony, dynamism and regeneration as threads through both music and nature.
Artworks from both established and emerging artists from the Klein Karoo will include those by Liza Grobler, Hermann Niebuhr, François Tiran, Ina Marx, Lisl Barry and other local artists. All artworks on show in the Banqueting Hall will be on sale, and festivalgoers can join Dixon for Walkabouts on Friday and Saturday afternoon at 4pm.
Thorny Creek Brewery, a local craft brewery, will present a Craft Beer & Cheese Pairing daily at 12:30pm where products of this boutique beer brewery in the heart of the Klein Karoo can be tasted and paired with an artisanal cheese. Thorny Creek will also present an introduction to Brewer’s Spent Grain as a functional ingredient in a culinary journey, a fascinating intersection of brewing and sustainability at the same time.
No festival experience is complete without culinary delights, and the festival’s restaurant, operated by Nostalgie Restaurant, will offer delicious breakfasts, delectable lunches and sumptuous dinners. An array of wines and locally roasted coffee will also be on offer.
This year, for the first time at Klassique, Historical Walking Tours will be presented by Roydin Engelbrecht from RJ Tours. This comfortable walking tour will visit important architectural buildings in Oudtshoorn. One example is the Dutch Reformed Moederkerk, where construction began in 1860 and concluded in 1879.
Klein Karoo Klassique is presented by the KKNK, and made possible by the Rupert Music Foundation and ATKV, with additional support from Le Lude, Rosenhof Country House and the Oudtshoorn Municipality. The festival’s accommodation sponsors are Hlangana Lodge, Kleinplaas Holiday Resort, Protea Hotel Riempie Estate, Queen’s Hotel by Bon Hotels, Ravenscliff Manor, Turnberry Boutique Hotel and Wildehondekloof Game Reserve.
The exclusive Klassique Package offers access to nine recitals at a total discount of 30%. Klassique Package ticketholders also receive a 30% discount on their festival accommodation in the Queen’s Hotel, subject to availability. For more accommodation options in and around Oudtshoorn, visit Klassique’s accommodation partner, LekkeSlaap.
Details:
- Date: 3 to 6 August, 2023
- Location: Oudtshoorn
- Website: klassique.co.za
- Tickets: Webtickets | Pick n Pay Stores | Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees office | Available tickets also sold at the door before each recital
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