The world feels increasingly divided - by power, politics, fear and fractured identities – so it is timely that a freshly reimagined Afro-epic rises to the stage to ask the question we can no longer avoid: What truly holds us together?
The Kingdom of Ubuntu, opening at Artscape Theatre Centre in the Opera House on 6 and 7 March 2026, is not just a music concert. It is a living allegory for our times - a cinematic, deeply African musical experience that places unity, responsibility and shared humanity at the centre of the story. It will be presented as a semi-staged production for this South African production.
Created, written, directed and composed by acclaimed producer and cultural storyteller Elvis Sibeko, The Kingdom of Ubuntu brings together the soaring power of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), the visceral movement of the Sibonelo Dance Project, and a formidable collective of African vocalists (AfriArts Choir) and for the first time, an indigenous orchestra led by Emeritus Professor Dizu Plaatjies – scholar, composer and Keeper of the Music in a work that is both ancient in spirit and urgent in message.
At the heart of this production is a profound musical conversation. Western orchestral traditions meet ancient African sound worlds. The cinematic score – initially composed as a filmic work – is expanded through indigenous instruments, ritual sound and embodied rhythm, dissolving borders between cultures, eras and languages. There is no hierarchy here: music speaks as one.
The concert draws from all of South Africa’s official languages, including San languages, and incorporates sign language, ensuring that voice, presence and meaning are carried beyond words. Each culture is honoured in its full splendour – through sound, movement, costume and regalia – creating a grand visual and sonic tapestry that mirrors our shared humanity.
Set in a mythical African kingdom, the story unfolds through music, ritual and movement. Diverse clans live in harmony until ambition, unresolved history and betrayal return in the form of an exiled heir who challenges the throne. What follows is not simply a struggle for power, but a reckoning: Will the kingdom choose domination – or Ubuntu?
“This work was born from a simple but difficult truth,” says creator Elvis Sibeko. “Ubuntu is not a slogan. It is a responsibility. In a world obsessed with power, The Kingdom of Ubuntu asks whether leadership can still be rooted in compassion, memory and service to the collective.”
Blending orchestral grandeur, indigenous music, contemporary African dance and theatrical storytelling, The Kingdom of Ubuntu – In Concert unfolds like a live cinematic experience – nuanced, magical and emotionally resonant. It reflects how humanity once lived in greater harmony with one another and with nature, and how greed and the pursuit of power have fragmented not only societies, but our relationship with the earth itself.
For audiences, this is not a passive experience. The final moments dissolve the boundary between stage and seats, transforming the theatre into a shared space of affirmation. You do not simply watch The Kingdom of Ubuntu - you become part of it.
Emeritus Professor Dizu Plaatjies said: “I am deeply honoured to join hands with Elvis Sibeko in this extraordinary collaboration. To bring together two juxtaposed orchestras on one stage is not only a celebration of music, but of unity and heritage. The Kingdom of Ubuntu Musical is more than a performance – it is a living testament to our shared humanity, and I believe it will be remembered as a production for the history books.”
In a world marked by exhaustion, disconnection and yearning, The Kingdom of Ubuntu – In Concert speaks directly to the human spirit’s desire for love, belonging and re-rooting – to one another and to Mother Earth. It is also a powerful reminder that the arts remain a vital conduit for respectful dialogue, collective reflection and the stimulation of intellectual awareness.
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