The Power of the Word - A Millennium Colloquium at Churchill College

Churchill College will be hosting the British premiere of Akin Euba's opera, 'Chaka', on Friday 17 November 2000.

Euba, Nigeria's leading composer, is the Andrew L Mellon Professor of Music in the University of Pittsburgh and a visiting fellow at Churchill College for this academic year.

The opera is a fusion of Western and Nigerian music and its professional performance on Friday forms a highlight of 'The Power of the Word/La Puissance du Verbe' - Churchill College's prestigious Millennium Colloquium dialogue between writers from Africa and the Caribbean, led by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.

Euba bases his two-chant opera on Leopold Senghor's epic poem about a powerful but ruthless Zulu king. Indeed, Chaka was a brilliant military strategist and expanded the Zulu empire significantly in the 19th century, but at the same time, he will forever remain notorious for his crimes against humanity.

The poem explores the last moments of Chaka's dramatic life. Severely wounded, he is cross examined by a white voice, symbolising colonial and missionary presence in Africa. This contrasts with a striking love-song in which Chaka remembers tender moments with his wife-to-be, Noliwe, whom he had murdered, at the persuasian of a devious wizard, in an effort to gain absolute power.

The performance is conducted by Peter Tregear, the Director of Music at Fitzwilliam College and directed by Olusola Oyeleye, a director of the English National Opera. The production will include principle singers from the United States, African and Western percussionists, and singers and musicians from the University of Cambridge.

Further information:
Churchill College, Cambridge, tel: 01223 503333
More information about the performance of Chaka, or the Millennium Colloquium can be found on the Churchill College web site.