From left to right are Antoinette Kellerman, Vinette Ebrahim, Coenie de Villiers and Jana Cilliers. They combine their talents in the production, “Woordmusiek”, which debuts at the KKNK this year. (Photo: Maryna Cotton)
By Martjie Roos
It is fifty years since the talented and seasoned songwriter, Coenie de Villiers, penned his iconic and evergreen song, “Karoonag”. Since then, Coenie has made huge strides in the music industry and created some of the most beautiful Afrikaans lyrics and music. But the maestro has also repeatedly surprised with new and innovative productions, in which he combines talents with other artists such as André Schwartz (Borderless) and the famous suspense writer Deon Meyer (Karoo Suite 1: Karoonagte in Cruise 2: Cruiser) cord. This week, Coenie will again enchant theater audiences at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) with his newly created show, word musicwhich debuts at the arts festival on April 4 and 5.
In word music Coenie combines his creative talents with three of our leading theater doyennes, namely Antoinette Kellerman, Vinette Ebrahim and Jana Cilliers. word music is a totally “new horse” that he has saddled and a project that has not really been tackled before, says Coenie.
“I dug up some of my stories that I have written for the past 48 years and that have never been set to music or published. Some of the stories deal with topics such as love, death, motherhood, the pandemic and children. Fortunately, I had a lot of material to choose from. It was like picking out some eggs and making an omelette.”
After the idea took hold with Coenie to give new life to his stories through his own compositions and voices, he first scratched his head about who he would ask to read the stories.
“I immediately thought that women’s approach would give more depth to the words and that it should preferably be senior and seasoned actresses who, like me, have run ‘around the block’ a few times,” he jokes.
Antoinette, Vinette and Jana’s names were on his wish list, because all three have thoroughly made their mark on stage and he has so much respect for their talent and professionalism, he says. “But I was too afraid to ask them directly, because if they said ‘no’ I would have to get years of therapy,” he jokes again. “I then asked Hugo Theart, artistic director of the KKNK, to approach them, and was delighted when all three agreed.”
Coenie de Villiers (Photo: Provided)
This new concept of narratives illustrated by music was in itself also a novelty for Antoinette, Vinette and Jana.
“During the first rehearsals, they said they were looking for their own character as in any drama or story. But my answer was that they should take their own inner journey with the written word to find their own individual voice. It’s like an unprecedented, exciting journey of discovery. After all, each of the three actresses has such a strong presence on stage – when they step on stage, the story already begins.
“It is such a wonderful experience and privilege for me to work with all three actresses because I myself have no theater training. When the text and music take hold, it feels like I’m listening to it for the first time because everyone’s voice brings a new dimension, emotion, as well as value and warmth to my word creations. Vinette, Jana and Antoinette complement each other and during our first rehearsals, everyone’s honesty and authenticity that they bring to the stage completely amazed me. “
Apart from Coenie’s own compositions that support the narratives, the guitar master Mauritz Lotz lends even more gravitas to the narratives with his excellent guitar accompaniment.
“Mauritz is also up with me Karoo Suite 1 in Karoo Suite 2 worked and we are already so well in ‘sync’ with each other that one can only watch for the other on stage, then we know exactly where the other has to step in or what to do.”
The whole word music-reis should be a new and surprising experience for theater lovers. “It’s almost like one of those ‘pop-up’ storybooks that you open,” says Coenie. “I hope the power as well as the symbiosis of music and words will touch each audience member in a different way or level. Even if audience members just walk out of the theater thinking: that one narrative was written specifically for me. Hopefully will word music also contribute something positive to audience members’ mood and offer something valuable for people to take home.”
- word music will be performed on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 April at the Gymnasium at 15:00 in Oudtshoorn.
- Coenie and Deon Meyer’s last subject of Karoo Suite 2: Karoonagte will be performed on 8 April at 18:00 and 9 April at 10:00 at the Civic Center in Oudtshoorn.
Tickets for word music as well as Karoo Suite 2: Karoonagte is by Webtickets available. word music will also be performed during the Suidoosterfees from 26 April to 1 May at the Artscape in Cape Town – just keep an eye on the program for the performances.
