Cal Performances presents the US premiere of William Kentridge’s SIBYL, Friday–Sunday, March 17–19, 2023 in Zellerbach Hall.
(credit: Stella Olivier)
Cal Performances presents William Kentridge’s Sibyl March 17-19, 2023 at Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. Kentridge is in residence at UC Berkeley for the 2022-23 academic year presenting a series of lectures, art exhibits, performances and films culminating with the US Premiere of his theatrical chamber opera, Sibyl, directed by Kentridge, who also led the concept and design supported by a substantial creative team. Music for the two-part program is composed and conceived by Nhlanhla Mahlangu and Kyle Shepherd, with piano played by Shepherd, during the performance.
The first piece The Moment Has Gone, is a twenty two minute film of Kentridge his studio in South Africa with several singer dancers on stage, accompanied by jazzy piano music. The piece is intriguing and moving and shows Kentridge’s multi disciplinary creativity as an artist and animator. The quality of the music, singing and magical effects of the film is sublime storytelling and a fascinating insight into Kentridge.
William Kentridge. Cal Performances presents the US premiere of William Kentridge’s SIBYL, Friday–Sunday, March 17–19, 2023 in Zellerbach Hall.
Pictured: William Kentridge
(credit: William Kentridge)
Sibyl is a story based on the myth about waiting for the Sibyl, to find out one’s destiny, expectations of life, death and hope for the future. There are several scenes in this forty four minute piece interspersed with a blackout. Each scene is visually and aurally abstract, creative and visceral. Expect the unexpected after the first image of a woman center stage, she is breathing visibly – she is waiting for the Sibyl, to know her destiny. A group of five performers are near, suggesting a form of a mythical chorus, they each wear curious, remarkable round flat hats, while another performer chants “the moment has gone”. It reminds me of something I can’t remember. We are transported!
Cal Performances presents the US premiere of William Kentridge’s SIBYL, Friday–Sunday, March 17–19, 2023 in Zellerbach Hall.
Pictured: S’busiso Shozi, vocalist
(credit: Stella Olivier)
This scene is followed by a veritable feast of Kentridge’s strident black ink art woven through a creative tapestry of images, animation, drama, wit, beauty, with Dadaist designs of sets, objects and costumes featuring lively and rich music and song. We are led through a creative mind and interpretation by Kentridge taking us to places we don’t recognize and up and down stairs, to an office where words come alive and out of a man’s head and a distinctive old school typewriter has its own sound and rhythm. Haunting melodic singing is punctuated by African click sounds.
In a vibrant scene colorful shapes – orange, yellow, red, white and blue appear, while there is singing with hyena like laughs. Delicious contraptions are everywhere – and a performer sits wearing a delicate circular pleated skirt very carefully arranged.
A highlight scene is a stage full of mismatched chairs, when we discover that they have a life of their own, it’s so witty and clever!
Beautifully staged by Kentridge and performed by the cast of nine singers and dancers, with Shepherd at the piano, Sibyl is pure movement, rhythm, art, dance, visual abstract theatrical storytelling, textured music and song. It is to be seen and experienced!
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