Phoenix Dance Theatre revive Requiem: Journeys of the Soul in Cape Town, South Africa, this October in the company’s first international performances since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jazzart Dance Theatre in collaboration with Cape Town Opera, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Phoenix Dance Theatre presents the new, critically acclaimed 5-star production of Requiem: Journeys of the Soul choreographed and directed by Dane Hurst with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Neo Muyanga.

The brand-new production premiered in the UK in collaboration with Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre and Cape Town Opera was hailed as a 5-star “knock-out double bill” and promises to be a thought-provoking and poignant expression of remembrance and rebirth in a post-pandemic society.

Neo Muyanga’s new work entitled After Tears: After a Requiem was described as an “invocation of South African rituals of mourning and remembrance – ultimately celebrating the beauty of life –colourful, joyous, uplifting: food for the soul.”

This new work was specially commissioned by Opera North to be performed along and as a companion piece to Mozart’s iconic masterpiece entitled, Requiem. Muyanga writes: “My new work After Tears laments the palpable sense of loss after the dream of a utopia has been deferred. The piece is a rallying call for individual citizens to work collectively, with empathy, to rebuild after a period of distress and loss. It envisages this collective work as a vibrant ‘After Tears party’ where the blues of mourning are submerged and constrained by the reverie of a cleansing ceremony.”

With lighting design by Faheem Bardien, the music to this production will be brought to life by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Cape Town Opera soloists featuring Setsoane Ntseki and Cape Town Opera’s award-winning Chorus.

Find out more about Requiem: Journeys of the Soul in our blogs series and discover more behind-the-scenes content, interviews and insights here.