Santa Pelham’s story has become something more – an inspiration for song, and now a one-woman show performed by her daughter, opera diva Aviva Pelham. Aviva has a special affiliation to Yiddish song and to welfare.
Aviva brings the moving biography ‘Santa’s Story’ to life detailing her mother’s journey from Germany, to Spain, to France and then to Africa. The story is punctuated by wonderful live Klezmer music performed by the arranger Matthew Reid on clarinet and sax, Nicky Jansen on keyboard, guitar, flute, accordion and sax and Petri Salonen on the violin. The beautiful instrumentation will depict music from different part of Europe and Klezmer and Aviva will sing in Spanish, French, Yiddish, Hebrew and English.
In a career spanning almost 40 years, Aviva has enchanted her audiences, brightened stages and spread the love of song in South Africa and abroad. She is a highly sought-after singer, director and lecturer. Born into an extremely musical family in Zimbabwe, her home was filled with music and every member of the family sang.
From 2001 to 2010 Aviva was the star of The Annual Yiddish Song Festival, which raised funds for the CJSA. Aviva’s incredible talent, innate love of Yiddish song and enormous generosity of spirit were totally integral to the success of this popular, annual extravaganza. The Yiddish song Festival raised the profile and much needed funds for the CJSA, who are forever indebted to her dedication to this project. In 2011 the 10th Annual Festival was taken to Johannesburg for a sold out show at the Lyric Theatre, where it raised the roof and raised funds for ORT SA.
Santa’s Story will be directed by multi-award winning Janice Honeyman with designs by the acclaimed Mannie Manim and Dicky Longhurst who round up the artistic and creative team. The production runs from 29 August at 8pm until 9 September. For the full production schedule and further details please visit www.thefugard.com or call the Theatre’s box office.
Performances are nightly (except Mondays) at 8pm with various weekend matinee performances and tickets cost from R130 to R150 via Computicket or the Theatre’s box office on 021 461 4554. Friends of the Fugard benefit from the usual generous discounts on offer. If you are not yet signed up as a Friend of the Fugard you may do so by calling the Fugard Theatre box office.
There is ample safe, secure parking across the street in the Harrington Square parking lot.
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