When the ‘Magic flute’ held Abuja spellbound

 Adie Vanessa Offiong   The yuletide season was ushered in in Abuja last Sunday at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel with the performance of Mozart’s famous piece, ‘Magic Flute’ by the AMEMUSO choir during the 2016 edition of the Operabuja concert. Fifty choristers, 36 vocalists and instrumentalists and 15 performers aroused the magic […]

 Adie Vanessa Offiong

 

The yuletide season was ushered in in Abuja last Sunday at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel with the performance of Mozart’s famous piece, ‘Magic Flute’ by the AMEMUSO choir during the 2016 edition of the Operabuja concert.

Fifty choristers, 36 vocalists and instrumentalists and 15 performers aroused the magic of Mozart’s well-celebrated piece.

Guests were enthralled by the full opera performance with the songs in German but the dialogue in pidgin. The excitement of children filled the air as they echoed ‘cartoon, cartoon,’ when the animated backdrops came alive.

The backdrops could have been easily identified as representative of Nigerian landscapes like Zuma Rock and the surrounding fields, expressed in rich green colours synonymous with the several green horns that made up the list of performers at this year’s show.

The faulty microphones were no impediment to unleashing their best on the eagerly recipient audience as they showed their natural endowments in voice and action, once again proving the abundance of raw talents in Nigeria. 

The ‘Magic Flute’ premiered on September 30, 1791 at the Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, two months after Mozart’s death. It is the story the Queen of the Night who persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest Sarastro.

But Tamino is lured by the high ideals of Sarastro’s community. Separately and later, together, Tamino and Pamina undergo severe trials of initiation, which end triumphantly, with the queen and her cohorts vanquished. Accompanying Tamino on his quest, Papageno woefully fails the trials but is still rewarded with the hand of Papagena, his ideal female companion.

AMEMUSO’s music director, Samuel Ezugwu, explained the choir’s presentation of the piece.

“This is the first time we’re having a full opera performance with no additions and all the orchestra, performers, singers and instrumentalists are home-grown and Nigeria-based, aside the director, Michael-Walter Volhardt, who is German,” he said.

Speaking on the theme of the backdrops used for the production, Ezugwu said they were specifically chosen for the event

Hilton’s Public Relations & Marketing Manager, Mr. Shola Adeyemo, speaking on the hotel’s support of the event, said: “Our continuous support of Operabuja since its inception nine years ago, is in furtherance of our commitment to remaining the most hospitable company in Nigeria.” 

Adeyemo said: “As we strive everyday to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests, we also have a responsibility to impact the communities where we live, work and travel.”

He said the hotel, which has provided rehearsal space and logistics for the choir since inception, is represented on AMEMUSO’s Board of Trustees, a position which goes with huge responsibility of ensuring AMEMUSO achieves its lofty objectives of identifying and grooming world class classical music talents.

A side attraction for the evening was the performance of 20 children between ages eight and 16 from the charity-based organisation, Assisted Care and Empowerment (ACE).

For most of the children like 15 year-old Divine Odu, it was their first time of being in the hotel or performing on such a platform.

Odu who spoke to Weekend Magazine said: “I’ve benefited a lot from the event because I have been taught how to write and compose my own music and it is a gift they have given me which I will nurture forever.”

Proceeds from this ninth edition will be channelled to the Albino Foundation, School of the Blind, Jabi and ACE.