Bringing the WORLD to your doorstep!
WOMAD SA expands its offering with multiple genres

Following on from the inaugural WOMAD South African Safari in 2022, WOMAD “The World of Music, Arts and Dance”, 2023 brings “the world to your doorstep” with an exciting and diverse cultural mix of music, theatre, dance, literature, spoken word, visual arts, and fashion.

These unique intimate events will be held in Cape Town, !Khwa ttu SAN Heritage Centre, Johannesburg, Middelburg, and Mapungubwe from September 23 to October 7.

WOMAD @ The Market in Joburg hosts a three-day intensive series of performances and workshops (29 September to 1 October) in and around the Market Theatre Precinct. This ambitious and eclectic self-contained festival serves as a catalyst for Joburg’s inner-city cultural rejuvenation.

The John Kani Theatre hosts a diverse variety of musically-themed concerts.

Friday night’s official opening presents an exciting two-header entitled “Ancestral Latin Connection”. Embedded with a strong sense of indigenous tradition, the dynamic, award-winning 15-member Herencia de los Rios from Colombia celebrates WOMAD SA’s “twinning” partnership with the Petronio Álvarez Pacific Music Festival in the city of Cali.

“Fandá”: An African/Spanish Story” is a conceptual musical theatre piece that explores the African origins of flamenco and traces the paths of slavery through imperial Seville and beyond. Directed, composed, and libretto by César Tovar Cruz, with live music by Rey Chams from Spain, Nobuhle, the guitars of Micah Myles and Lebz Muzo from South Africa, and narration by Ghaisik from Nigeria.

Saturday’s “African Voyage of Discovery” matinee concert features Senegalese mbalax superstars Saintrick et Les Tchielly, The spiritually uplifting Atse Tewodros Project from Ethiopia, and Guinean kora superstar N’Faly Kouyate, the “Jimi Hendrix of the kora”, N’Faly Kouyate from Guinea.

Also on Saturday, American all-girl country group The Merlettes, featuring our very own AuzTebza, will launch their new collaboration in an intimate concert at AMPD Studios.