SA: Neo Motsatse to honour Dorothy Masuka at Lyric Theatre

Sponsored by SAMPRA, the Seasons: Dorothy Masuka’s Songbook in the Style of Vivaldi musical production will look into Masuka’s prolific work with that of the well-known Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.  

True to Vivaldi’s pioneering work on programme music, the performance will be interspersed with extramusical narrative expanding on Vivaldi’s accompanying sonnets to poetically incorporate aspects of Masuka’s musical journey. 

Masuka, who passed away on 23 February 2019, would have turned 87 on the day of the event.

“I am truly excited and honoured to be able to pay tribute to two of the most prolific and truly iconic composers of their times, Mam Dorothy Masuka and Antonio Vivaldi,” Neo Motsatse said. “As a classically trained South African musician, it is always my attempt to bring both elements in my music – classical training plus being South African. In this production we epitomise this duality, and the synthesis is something special.”  

Motsatse will be joined by an ensemble of 16 musicians representing a fusion of both classical music and the Afro-soul genres with arrangements and compositions courtesy of Grammy award-winning producer JB Arthur.

“I have enjoyed working on this work with its rich elements,” Arthur said. “We have preserved the feel and integrity of each of the compositions, while attempting the difficult work of seamlessly fusing and harmonising works for totally different eras, genres, styles, cultures, and continents. It doesn’t often get more challenging than this, but we did it.”

The Seasons: Dorothy Masuka’s Songbook in the Style of Vivaldi premiered at the National Arts Festival at Makhanda in 2019 to great reviews and acclaim.

Motsatse’s manager, and director of Fezeka Motsatse Activations, said: “We are excited to be bringing this production home for both Neo and Mam D [Dorothy Masuka],” adding, that they have assembled a top tier group of musicians, including Hleze Kunju, Billy Monama, Aus Tebza and Avzal Ismail, among others.

Masuka was one of the leading African artists whose career spanned more than six decades. She achieved early success and fame in the early 1950s through her chart topping song ‘Hamba Nontsokolo’ followed by compositions that were recorded by Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela. In 2002, she was inducted into the American Hall of Fame and four years later was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for excellent achievement in contribution to music composition and performance by president Thabo Mbeki.

Motsatse is a versatile musician who plays classical fusion mixing popular, gypsy and South African sounds. She began playing violin at the age of six and has performed at a number of platforms including music competitions, corporate functions, concerto festivals, music festivals and has toured in and outside the country.

Her musical prowess has seen her named two-time winner of the Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival. She achieved widespread recognition through her annual Neo Motsatse the Concert (NMtC), which she started at age 10. Since then, Neo Motsatse has used the platform to offer job opportunities to other musicians and artists, stage performances to younger musicians and created a platform for social cohesion in communities.

In 2018, she hosted her eighth series of NMtC at the Wits University’s Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg accompanied by the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Kutlwano Masote.