Initiated by the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, The Brundibár Project draws its inspiration from the story and the performances of the children’s opera, Brundibár, performed at the Nazi ghetto, Terezín. It illustrates how art can become a tool of defiance and survival, and give one the hope to live in the most dire of circumstances.
In the spirit of ‘ubuntu’, The Brundibár Project is a collaboration between the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, Cape Town Opera, Artscape, Magnet Theatre, the Frank Joubert Art Centre, Ibhabhathane and members of the South African Arts Community who have joined forces to promote visual and performing arts, while using them as a vehicle for remembering and honouring, and to build a culture of human rights.
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| Aims of The Brundibár Project |
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• Bringing together young people
• Providing opportunities to develop students’ skills and creative potential
• Motivating teachers to use the Arts in their classes, encouraging expression through different disciplines
• Using the Arts as a vehicle for remembering, honouring, growth and development
• Contributing towards building community and a human rights culture |
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| Components of The Brundibár Project |
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| The Brundibár Project’s components are linked by a common theme: creating a just society that co-exists creatively by bringing together our vibrant communities and empowering them through the arts. |
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During the Performance Week there will be a series of public lectures, including that of Ela Weissberger, who played the role of the Cat in all 55 performances at Terezín. She is specially coming for The Brundibár Project to give a personal insight into her experiences of Brundibár and surviving the Holocaust, and to share the universal messages of both.
Pre-performance talks will take place in the Artscape Orchestra Rehearsal Room at 18h00
Tuesday 19 July - Ela Weissberger
Wednesday 20 July -Dr Vojtěch Blodig, Deputy Director of Terezin Memorial
Thursday 21 July - Aviva Pelham, Magnet Theatre directors, Michael Mitchell
All are welcome to listen to the pre-performance talks, even if not attending the specific performance thereafter.
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An inspiring collaborative installation will be displayed in the Theatre Foyer. The artworks of young South Africans from the Frank Joubert Art Centre and Ibhabhathane will be exhibited alongside the significant exhibitions from The Jewish Museum in Prague and Památník Terezín, of art and writings by the children imprisoned in the Nazi ghetto, Terezín.
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A teacher development workshop demonstrating how teachers can use the arts and creative writing in their classrooms to teach human rights values, will be presented by Ibhabhathane.
Interactive student workshops for Grade 6-11 learners will be held at the theatre, incorporating the art exhibition, a documentary and discussion, and writing and art exercises.
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Learners from disadvantaged communities will be brought to performances as part of Artscape’s Audience Development Education Programme.
Performances will be presented at schools around Cape Town as part of Magnet Theatre and Cape Town Opera’s Educational Outreach and Development Programmes.
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