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Lead role for SA opera singer.
 Abel Ketshepile Motsoadi Moeng
Washington DC - Abel Ketshepile Motsoadi Moeng literally lives the American dream in the city of bright lights and big dreams, Manhattan, New York. This talented opera student has just been cast into the prestigious, challenging lead role of Figaro in the Juillard School of Music production of the opera "Le Nozze di Figaro." "Figaro" is his first leading role in a production, and the biggest role he has had in his short but exciting career in the Big Apple's Juillard School of Music, Moeng is very humble about his big break. "I am fortunate that they gave it to me, as I have always wanted to do it," Moeng told African Eye News during a short break between movement classes, rehearsals and vocal technique coaching sessions. The part of Figaro requires different colours in the voice, and a Figaro is a cynical character who changes "moods like crazy," Moeng said. He has to use the full range of his voice, singing very high and low, a "nice stretch which is very challenging." Moeng's life in Manhattan has been a great challenge - a test of character which brings about fear, disappointments, loneliness and a great deal of homesickness - all part of the package in a competitive atmosphere in a driven city like New York. "I focus on myself. That is the only way to survive when there is so much expectation and pressure," Moeng said. He now "takes things as they come," accepting failures, disappointments and successes as part of life's journey. If he does not get a part, he does not beat himself up about it. "It is hard to swallow, but it simply means it was not meant to be. Through failure comes achievement and through achievement comes failure. One is meant to fail and meant to achieve, there is no perfection," he reckons. This philosophy extends into his view of South Africa at present. According to Moeng, the "government who knew very little about being a government," has done very good in very little time. "Change does not come in a flush," Moeng explained. "People are hungry, others have sacrificed their lives, so there is lots of change that has to take place." He emphasized that we need assistance for the arts from the government, but at once he reckons opera and music should be looked at within the process of change, therefore not as an urgent priority. He believes the biggest change must still take place in the hearts of people. "Democracy must not be in a book, but in a mindset, then only can we live with free souls," Moeng said. He believes that the arts and culture of a country are the "soul of the people." "When you look at a play, you can identify with a character, and look at yourself, you can learn as it will trigger your mind," Moeng explained. He regards himself as an ambassador for South Africa. He would like to return home one day to make a contribution. "I would like to go back to help others, and to sing." Moeng has been a student at Juillard since 1995, when he was recruited from the University of Cape Town as an exceptionally talented young opera student with a great future. Originally from a small village in the North-West province, Tlhabane, near Rustenburg, the 28-year old now sings to both rural areas and New York within a day, a life that is still "unimaginable" to him. "I still cannot believe it" he says. He is in his sixth year at Juillard and he is currently living in the inner city of Manhattan, which he describes as "a lonely place." He will return to South Africa during December this year for a couple of concerts, most notably the New Year's concert at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. He is currently negotiating with the National Youth Orchestra for a performance in April, and he will also return to South Africa in August to do the Crown Opera for Capab. At present, Motsoadi is preparing for a piano performance of Figaro in December, and rehearsals for the opera will start in February next year. "Le Nozze di Figaro" will be performed at Juillard in March next year. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnIlda Jacobs Washington D.C. - Kytie is oppad na die Kommunistiese Kuba. Dit is my grooot nuus vir die week. Eers was dit net 'n 50% moontlikheid, so 'n week of wat terug. Ons het begin huiswerk doen oor die kleine landjie wat so gehul is in wolke van misterie. Die Groot Baas het gesê, vind uit oor daardie Suid-Afrikaanse dokters in Kuba, dalk kan ons 'n storie daaroor skryf. Ek het begin surf vir inligting oor Kuba, en ontdek dat daar 'n hele nuwe wêreld van Kubaanse hip-hop kunstenaars in Havana wag om ontdek te word. Hierdie week het ons begin rondbel vir pryse en mense om saam te reis wat nie U.S. citizens is nie. Die Groot Baas se Cousin sou saamgaan, maar sy werk het hom gekniehalter. En boonop is hy 'n U.S. citizen wat die wette van Amerika sou breek as hy sy dollars gaan spandeer in die landjie. Kuba is die een land waar my Suid-Afrikaanse paspoort vir my deure oopmaak. Toe word dit 'n 75% persent moontlik toe ons uitvind die Cousin het 'n Nephew van Australia. Ook sy paspoort is baie handig. Toe ons ons weer kom kry, toe is ons oppad. 'n Volle 100% geboek op 'n charter na Havana via Nassau. Ons is nou hard opsoek na kontakte in Kuba om stories te skryf oor die S.A. dokters en studente binne-in Kuba, en enigiets met 'n Afrika of Suid-Afrika angle. Klaarblyklik is daar selfs 'n Mandela park in Kuba. Daardie 100% het my in die beste mood waarin ek in 'n lang, lang tyd was. Kuba was nog altyd 'n droom, 'n fassinerende land met fassinerende leiers. Van hoerskool geskiedenis dae af hou Fidel Castro en Che Guevarra hierdie bekoring in vir my, daardie fotos van bebaarde "revolutionaries". Dus, op Vrydag 10 November gaan ek op my vlug klim, via Atlanta na Nassau na Havana vlieg en sien wat die meeste Amerikaners net droom om te kan sien. Daarna sal ek vir almal kan vertel, ja, Kytie Koekblik was al in Kaapstad, Kuba, London, New York en Washington om haar horisonne te verbreed. Van die os op die jas - Halloween was een van my heel lekkerste ervarings nog in hierdie vreemde land. Natuurlik letterlik 'n lekker ervaring met al die lekkers of candy wat ek gekry het tydens "trick of treating". Ek het saam met my baas se 3 en 5 jarige gaan rondhardloop van huis na huis om hande vol choclits by almal te kry. Natuurlik is die meeste mense nie te gelukkig om vir 'n 22-jarige sweets te gee nie, maar die oomblik as jy sê dat dit jou eerste Halloween is, word jou sakkie voller. Ek dink Halloween is wonderlik, om die eenvoudige rede dat almal so ontspanne is. In kostuum verdamp die beelde en daaglikse maskers wat jy van jouself voor hou, en by die Halloween partytjies waar ek was, praat almal makliker met mekaar as gewoonlik. Die interaksie in die verskeie gemeenskappe en tussen bure is ongelooflik. Almal gesels, en die kinders hardloop rond in die oulikste kostuums, opgewonde oor die hele toedoe.Die mooiste om te sien is die ma's en pa's wat so betrokke is by hulle kinders tydens Halloween. Dit is regtig asof almal in Amerika skielik 'n groot speletjie speel, en dit regtig geniet. Verder is ek geheel en al oor die vlae verlange wat my 'n tyd gelede so moedeloos gelos het. Ek het die heeltyd van my hondtjies en my ma en pa en my vriende gedroom, maar nou gaan die lewe weer aan ek is met hart en siel besig om hierdie nuwe land en mense en kultuur te ontdek. En volgende week, gaan ek met hart en siel in Kuba wees. Kytie K. Kytie Koekblik would like you to respond to her tongue-in-cheek running commentary on suburban life in America in this editorial. Fresh off the boat, she is ready to explore and experiment with American bath plugs and to drive on the other side of the road. You can contact her here. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Halloween and South Africans
America spends 2,5 billion U.S. dollars annually on their second largest commercial holiday on the 31st of October, Halloween. Suddenly every possible store has dangling skeletons in its window, pumpkins and monsters welcome you into the neighbours' homes. Peanut butter flavoured chocolates with jack-o-lantern faces painted on them, or Boo-cherry breakfast cereal with purple pieces of marshmallow shaped like little ghosts; pumpkin-faced orange-lollipops or a glowing orange pumpkin nightlight become available in the stores. Every restaurant has Halloween specials and every shop has Halloween bargains. People only talk about their Halloween party plans or their costumes. The average Americans do not know why this night of festivities is called Halloween. To them Halloween has become a modern cultural ritual, a night of fun for the kids and their parents and a night of fancy dress parties for everyone else. Most Americans only seem to have the fondest childhood memories of running around from house to house to collect "candy" or sweets in spectacular costumes. The practice is called "trick or treating," and only children dressed like Minnie Mouses, ghosts, aliens, monsters and witches participate. Prior to Halloween, pumpkins are collected from stores, hollowed and carved out. A candle is placed inside and the pumpkin is placed outside your front door or in your garden. Alternatively, pumpkin farms host pumpkin festivals with hayrides and the opportunity to find the perfect pumpkin in the fields. South African expatriates on the other hand don't seem to embrace Halloween but seem to hold on to their own culture by hosting braais, displaying their Africanness with African arts and craft, curios, carvings and other memorabilia. Yet this holiday is not regarded as a specifically American phenomenon. It is often seen within its ancient religious & pagan connotations. Centuries ago, the 31st of October was indeed the night of the Samhain in the Celtic countires, when witches, goblins and evil spirits roamed the earth. According to the legend, the Church wanted to eliminate the pagan ceremonies, and changed All Saints Day to fall on the same day, and eventually the day was called "All Hallows Day", and the night before, All Hallows Evening which became Hallow Evening and eventually Halloween. Often enough the South Africans abstain from participating due to specific objections. Muriel Russel, originally from Johannesburg and her husband now lives in Cobs Creek, in the rural parts of Virginia. Even thought everyone around them celebrates Halloween, she says it goes against her Christian testimony. "Halloween has had a satanic beginning" Russel claims, "and I am totally against it." Despite this, Russel says she understands the needs of kids, and they do supply the little kids in fancy dress with treats when they knock on their door. A.R. Latib, an Islam agrees that Halloween is a pagan practise that "stops us dead in our tracks." "It is a pre-Christian festival and on the night withces, ghosts and goblins supposedly roam the earth." Latib says. When he first arrived in the States 26 years ago, he did supply candy to the children, but today he turns off the lights and he does not open the door. He reckons more South Africans in the States is more likely to object to Halloween, the nation is generally more religiously orientated. Victor Miller, a South African pharmacist who has been based in the States for 20 years, practices the Jewish religion. His children used to go to Jewish day schools in the U.S. where Halloween was not celebrated as opposed to the public holiday in public schools. He did take his children "trick or treating" a few times when they arrived in the foreign country, but Miller says it is simply an American tradition that he could not "get into." "I just cannot relate to the strange and foreign tradition, and it is pagan" Miller said. It seems as if the younger generations of South African students in the U.S., or the au pairs, generally participate in Halloween events by going to Halloween parties in costume. Ask the South African au pairs who are in the States for a year. All the au pairs get a big dose of American culture through their American host families. Charmelle Gertse (19), an au pair from Port-Elizabeth who has been in the States for two months, celebrated her birthday on her first Halloween. Approximately a week before Halloween, Charmelle experienced hayrides at a pumpkin fair with her host family. She also spent hours with her host kids making ghosts from white garbage bags to decorate their front garden, and carving out scary faces for her pumpkins. She even had a "Happy birthday - Happy Halloween theme party." She loves the over-the-top fancy dress and the fun that goes hand in hand with Halloween. Lee-Anne Loveday (21) currently a student in the U.S., went to a few fancy dress parties before Halloween, but she did not buy any pumpkins or Halloween decorations for her apartment. "If I had children, I would participate even more so. That is the joy of it." She said. "I have absolutely no problem with Halloween." David Burger (26) from Durban attended the University of West-Virginia on a tennis scholarship, where all his friends "were big into it," and his current 29-year old girlfriend still carves pumpkins. Although Burger has been in the States for six years, he has never participated in the Halloween madness. At most Burger has gone to a few costume parties in costume. "I don't what it is about, it is without question an American ritual. I didn't grow up with it." Burger said. "I ignore Halloween, I've never bought a pumpkin, I'm just not interested in it because it is not part of my culture." Some South Africans do get swept up in the fun, or they let their children participate in "trick or treating" with their friends. Mandy Hart, formerly from Springs, has been in the States for 20 years. Her two kids have American ascents and they go to American schools. As a student, Mandy went "trick or treating" and she had to explain to the neighbours that it was her first Halloween. She also attended several parties in the most ridiculous outfits. Hart has embraced Halloween because it is such fun and she gets truly enthusiastic about it. She even organises Halloween neighbourhood parties for her childrens' friends and their parents. "It is a connection with your neighbourhood" Hart said. "I see this American tradition as a melting pot of cultures and nationalities." Her new German neighbours also joined in the festivities with their children, and at the school party which Hart helped to organise, parents and children were involved. Some South African Embassy staff with small children, allow them to join in the fun although they do not necessarily relate to or participate in the festivities. Colonel Raymond Marutle, Military Attache at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington, D.C. is experiencing his first Halloween. "I don't really know what it is about" Marutle said. " It is more for kids. We will have "soetgoed" for the kids when they knock on the door." Marutle has a 17 and 11 year old, who got costumes to join their friends for this authentic American night. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Drop kitty off at drive-through Washington DC - Round about 1995, South Africans witnessed a new phenomenon when the fast-food giant MacDonalds introduced drive-throughs. Drive-throughs made life a lot more convenient. You could go pick-up fast-food while wearing a pair of slippers and your sloppy track suit... Suddenly one did not have to leave your dog or kids locked up in your car to run in for take-aways, and you could munch away on a hamburger and milkshake without risking a highjack, a fine or having to find the elusive parking spot. Not surprisingly, the Americans ensured that you could go through life without having to park your car on busy roads. They patented and perfected the perfect business transaction that you can conduct in your pajamas: The Drive-Thru. They created an industry where you pick-up "take-outs" or "carry-outs" (take-aways in the U.S.), or withdraw money from drive-throughs or even quickly drop off your laundry at the drive-through drycleaners. The logistics behind the industry are simple: Business in America is geared towards the fastest service within the shortest amount of time to increase productivity and of therefore, profit. Does it mean Americans have become lazy and spoilt? Or does it simply mean they are using their initiatives and they are earning more money? So why would you stand in a line when you can sit in your car? An on-line newsletter for the convenience store industry, makes out a case for C-Store Drive-Thru Windows. "Americans are lazy - we like to drive everywhere and stay in our cars. Drive-thru windows let us do this." South Africa could pick-up a couple of tips from the Yanks. Perhaps an advantage of the drive-through ATM is that nobody could just peep over your shoulder to steal your pin number. However, a drive-through ATM may not be such a safe option in South Africa. You might actually end up with all your money stolen plus your car highjacked. Besides the drive-through ATM, full-service banking is also available in the comfortable interior of your car. It is as simple as opening your car window and telling an intercom what you need, you can deposit, withdraw, get a new checkbook, open an account, pay your electricity account, the full-on personal service that you would get inside the lobby of bank from a sometimes not so friendly and often not so competent cashier. The coolest drive-through must be the mailbox. It looks just like those park-and-display boxes. Perfectly easy to drop off your letters without having to reach for the red mouth of the postboxes on the street corner in our country. Once again, you do not have to park. Even the ordinary mailboxes outside residential houses are designed for drive-through delivery. The postman's van has a right hand drive steering wheel as opposed to all other vehicles in the U.S. The postman will drive-by to drop off your mail, and he will also pick-up your outgoing mail if you raise the little red flag sticking up on your postbox. You could also drop off your library books or return your videos without having to schlep into some shoppie quickly while illegally parking with the emergency lights on. You don't even have to get out into the cold with a cold, you can simply pick-up your prescription from a drive-through pharmacy. Washing or dry-cleaning your clothes equally convenient. You simply dump your bag of dirty clothes before you drive-off to work and you fetch it afterwards, as simple as that.
The most extravagant drive-through, is probably a chain of convenient stores called "Brew-thru", a must for couch-potatoes who could at least energise themselves enough to get the car out of the garage and onto the road. Instead of having to send your over-21 kid into the liquor store for a six-pack, dad could just pick-up the order from the drive-through liquor store. In the U.S., you have to be 21 or older to be able to purchase liquor. It seems slightly ironic that kids in America are allowed to get their licenses at sixteen, but are only allowed to make use of the beer-through once you turn twenty-one. Brew Thru supplies ice-cold beer, wine, sodas as well as snacks and other convenience store items. On a web site called http://www.customer.coke.com/html/drive-thru.html the philosophy behind drive-throughs is explained: "Given the fast-paced lifestyle of today's consumer, it isn't surprising that drive-thru has been the fastest-growing and most used mode of access within the fast-food segment." Allegedly 65% of all the sales in the fast-food market are made through a drive-through window. Competition is harsh between the various fast food giants. MacDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, PopEyes, KFC and Dairy Queen all offer drive-through facilities, a standard feature necessary in order to save time, sell more product and provide customer convenience. Some apparently run more than 90% of their sales through the window to customers who never get out of their cars. Fewer U.S. drive-throughs feature real people, the friendly faces in the windows like the ones you would find at the few drive-throughs in South Africa. At most of the drive-throughs in America, you would place your order through an intercom. The face behind the intercom is apparently also working as hard as anyone else to maximise profit, producing food or packaging it while wearing a head set, a mouthpiece and taking orders. The owner of MacMonalds in Bethesda, Maryland, Cathy Foster, was prohibited by the local authority to open-up a drive-through because of local zoning laws. Foster complains that she is barely making ends meet at her branch. There are always queues inside, which scares off potential customers who would otherwise drive by the drive-through. The biggest chain of coffee shops in the U.S., Starbucks, have a drive-through facility with gourmet coffees available.
But great ideas, in this case the booming drive-through industry, can also be taken to the extremes. This unfortunately happened in Rutherford County, Tennessee, where a drive-through pet disposal was established. If you were going away on holiday, or if your three-year kid decided to trade in her favourity kitty for a guinea pig, the pet disposal allowed you to simply deposit the pet into a metal chute leading to a customised pound. At Rutherford County Humane/Rabies Animal Shelter, the animals were held in the pound for two days, and then euthanised. What kind of a county and state officials would allow such an inhumane and cruel act? The pet disposal did cause a huge outcry amongst the people of Rutherford, and the drive-through was eventually closed down. Another extreme fast-paced drive-through activity is of course the most common ceremony in the state of Nevada. In Las Vegas you could be married literally within a flash of your headlights in "The Tunnel of Love Drive-Thru." The owner noticed a handicapped couple having difficulty getting out of their car and into the chapel, so she knocked out a wall and opened a drive-through window. Couples have come on motorcycles, roller-skates, boats and anything with wheels. Recently they expanded the drive-through to include a romantic ceiling with cherubs and starlights. It is almost a given that drive-through divorces might be found somewhere for the ultimate customer convenience. Drive to Nevada, terminate your marriage in this state and drive back to your own state, as simple as that. Its no wonder that a creative writer has written a short play to be published on the Internet. Bob Snook wrote about the ultimate money making scheme, the Drive Thru Christian Counseling City, the world's first drive-through counseling centre based upon the Bible. Other jokes have originated from the money-orientated fast-paced industry. Cars are encouraged to participate in the illegal "Drive through egging", which gets a high rating of 8 for entertainment value. It entails insisting on service after hours, hooting (or honking, as the Americans would say) and then finally pelting the order window with raw eggs. Mandela to be interviewed by Oprah Thanks to News24.co.za Nelson Mandela will be interviewed by television talk show host Oprah Winfrey in the United States and visit an exhibition dedicated to the late Princess Diana in Britain later this month, his foundation announced. The 82-year-old South African former president will leave South Africa on November 7 on a trip that will also take in Jordan, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said. On November 9 he will deliver an address to the Global Summit on Peace through Tourism in Amman, and will also pay a courtesy call on King Hussein. On November 13 he will receive an honorary fellowship from Magdalene College at Britain's Cambridge University; the following day he will visit the Princess Diana exhibition at Althorp, about 100 kilometres north of London; and on November 16 he will address the World Commission on Dams in London and deliver the inaugural BP annual lecture at the British Museum. The interview with Winfrey will take place on November 17, and for the following three days Mandela will raise funds in Los Angeles, California, for his foundation. On November 20 he will receive an award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On November 22 he will make a public speech in Memphis, Tennessee [ Top ] [ Top ] |
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