HIFA 2014 – Day 2

1 05 2014

A busy day. Traditionally sponsored by CABS, a local banking group, and with it the traditional opera night. Best described as opera light for novices, a lot of small but well known pieces are sung. I am not much of an opera fan but there is no denying the skill of the singers. It’s a fairly casual affair – only the singers and musicians dress up, the rest of us bring food and wine and sit on the grass. Yes, it IS a spectacle but if you missed it this year you will just have to wait until next year.

My first assignment of the day was the National Ballet modelling bridal inspired fashion at the fashion dome. No supermodel strutting here – it was all en pointe. A bit brief the show lasted all of 15 minutes so if you are thinking of catching the second half be on time.

Vibe Culture are a local band that plays “afro-mbira rock fusion” (according to the programme. Not that I would know!). Accomplished musicians all (that’s from my friend Caro who knows about these things) the lead singer has a fantastic voice and the dancer is probably the most photogenic performer I’ve seen in a long time!

Stephen Prutsman looked visibly jet-lagged on stage but still produced great classical piano music with “Bach and Forth” a melange of Bach and other composers moving forward in time (alternating between Bach and the others). If you appreciate good classical music and can recognize great piano playing you should catch the second show on Friday evening at the NMB Recital Room.

aCadao Canto are a Spanish group and very easy listening. They play mainly Galician music and will be on again at Lays Global Stage Thursday evening. If you just want to chill at the end of a hectic day and take in something different, then get there.





HIFA 2013 – final day

6 05 2013

It was back to the National Ballet’s  “When they are gone” show to get the photos I missed the first time around. In this type of photography it really helps to know the show and I’d made a mental note of the parts to be ready for – and it paid off!

Wild dog

Wild dog

Wild dogs in a pack

Wild dogs in a pack

Zebra and the rhino

Zebra and the rhino

Villagers

Villagers

Ostriches

Ostriches

Cosy!

Friends

Leopard and rhino

Leopard and rhino

Giraffes

Giraffes

Natalie Bradbury as an ostrich gets airborne (they are normally flightless!)

Natalie Bradbury as an ostrich gets airborne (they are normally flightless!)

Monkeying around - they had by far the most fun!

Monkeying around – they had by far the most fun!

Then it was off to the Arts and Crafts quarter to see what was on offer. Let it not be said that Zimbabweans are not creative – genuine tin hats, hats woven out of shopping bags that I last saw done as a child, bowls, beads, drums and much more. I asked a rastaman if he had some mbanje (marijuana) for me and much embarrassed he moved off. Well he was selling armbands embroidered with “the leaf”!

More stalls

The archway entrance to the Arts and Crafts quarter.

The archway entrance to the Arts and Crafts quarter.

drapes

Colourful drapes

More stalls

The rastaman’s stand.I took a photo of a hat, sent it to Sybille and she asked me to buy it. Technology works!

This basket work is from the Bulawayo area

This basket work is from the Bulawayo area

Genuine tin hats

Genuine tin hats

stall

Lee and his daughter Scarlett

Lee and his daughter Scarlett

family art

The whole family gets creative

Varnished paper beads

Varnished paper beads

Face painting was very popular

Face painting was very popular

A little girl at the sand drawing table.

A little girl at the sand drawing table.

On the way to pick up my computer I came across the actors from the Brazilian street theatre group. Very colourful indeed. Also a bit weird. One could have a secret whispered into your ear via a long thin trumpet and put your head into a stage mounted on someone’s head that had been fashioned from a box. Then it would all break up amid much “consternation” and re-establish somewhere else. Great!

Colour me

Brazilian street theatre - they claimed to come from Amazonia... I wonder.

Brazilian street theatre – they claimed to come from Amazonia… I wonder.

No denying they were colourful

No denying they were colourful

colour me red