As part of Gŵyl 2021 we premiered the latest opera from Opera' r Ddraig: ‘Bhekizizwe’ by Rob Fokkens and Mkhululi Matyalana Ka Mabija.

Moving backwards and forwards in time, tracing the life of a South African Zulu man (from childhood during the last years of Apartheid to studies and unexpected fatherhood in the UK in the early 2000s), ‘Bhekizizwe’ explores questions of identity, race, immigration, parenthood and culture.

This new operatic monodrama, by composer Robert Fokkens and librettist Mkhululi Mabija, is directed by Benjamin Davis, designed by Brad Caleb Lee and performed by baritone Themba Mvula, who assumes multiple character roles as the story develops.

‘Bhekizizwe’ is a wonderfully layered piece with many themes, one of which is love and relationships.