Friday 28 October 2011

Contemporary South African talent & classical and baroque sounds in Durban.

■ South African band Freshly­ground hits the road to cele­brate 10 years of making some of the most popular music in the country. The Love No Hate tour includes two show-stopping performances in KwaZulu-Natal in November. 

Golden Horse Casino, ­Pietermaritzburg, Thursday November 3 at 8pm.

Sibaya Casino, Durban, Sunday November 20 at 8pm. ­
Tickets are R140 from ­Computicket. 

■ The KwaZulu-Natal ­Philharmonic Orchestra this week brings the spring season of its 2011 World Symphony Series to a close with a glittering gala finale. Internationally acclaimed South African ­mezzo-soprano Michelle Breedt joins the orchestra under the baton of Arjan Tien in an uplifiting ­evening of operatic highlights. 

Patrons are encouraged to don black tie and evening dress for this glitzy event, which also serves to launch the orchestra's 2012 Summer Symphony Season. The audience is also invited to a celebratory party to be held in a marquee outside the City Hall after the concert. 

Durban City Hall, Thursday November 3 at 7.30pm.

Tickets R40 to R180 at Computicket. 

■ Before the classical music era there was baroque music, which is considered by some as the acme of musical history. The dominant form of the 17th century, baroque saw composers and performers using more elaborate musical ornamentation and developing seminal instrumental playing techniques. 

Baroque music expanded the size, range and complexity of instrumental performance and it is that spirit that is celebrated by the Durban ensemble Baroque 2000, whose next concert takes place this weekend in the acoustically sublime Church of the Monastery in Mariann­hill. It features as soloists three talented young musicians from KwaZulu-Natal. 

Warren Vernon-Driscoll (tenor) sings arias from Handel's Acis and Galatea and Bach'sMagnificat. Samantha Gold­blatt (soprano recorder) performs Vivaldi's ­Concerto for Sopranino RV 443. Summer, from Vivaldi's milestone work Four ­Seasons, is performed by William Chin (violin). The Concerto Grosso by Corelli is also on the ­programme.

Church of the Monastery, Mariannhill, Sunday October 30 at 3pm.

Tickets are R90 at the gate and booking is recommended. Tel:             031 312 5539      .

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Durban to host the 2019 Rotary International Congress

 Durban has won the right to host the 2019 Rotary International Congress. “This convention is one of the most significant global conventions as it attracts delegates from more than 200 countries. Rotary International delegates aree committed to raising funds for worthy charities. 

“This event is expected to generate well in excess of R150mn for the metropolitan area of Durban in terms of direct tourism spend. In addition it is a well known fact that business tourists often return as leisure tourists. They also very often as a result of a stimulating conference experience become ‘word of mouth ambassadors’ for a destination. Conferences increase delegate’s level of awareness of the host destination and ultimately contributes to them converting to the destination as a true leisure tourist. 

Mr Nick Phillips, the head of the local Rotary Branch that chaired the committee responsible for putting forward this bid and who was informed of the fact that Durban had won the right to host this event stated that, “ Rotary has hosted an annual international congress for more than 100 years and this will be the first time it is hosted in Africa”. 

Gibela Backpackers Lodge is situated an easy 7 min taxi ride from the Durban ICC.
Due to our location and quite relaxed atmosphere conference delegates give us thumbs up as alternative accommodation option. http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za


Monday 24 October 2011

Sharks - Durban KZN

Durban - Second-half tries from Springbok Rugby World Cup pair Tendai Mtawarira and Odwa Ndungane helped the Sharks, turn around a 10 point deficit to book their place in the Currie Cup final with 20-13 victory over the Cheetahs in Durban on Saturday.