On FMR, Jeremy Silver, Director of Opera UCT, tells us what to expect at the two performances they will offer as part of the Heat Winter Festival. These will tale place at two special venues – the IZIKO Old Town House and the THK Gallery.
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Jeremy Silver tells us that this is the 3rd HEAT Festival and Opera UCT has participated since inception. Although the emphasis is on the visual arts, the performing arts has always been included. They are delighted that this year they will be performing at two special venues – IZIKO Old Town House on Greenmarket Square and the THK Gallery.
‘Concert of the Birds’ is the title for the event at the Old Town House, based on their painting Concert of the Birds, a 16th Century work by Frans Snyders. This painting shows birds singing together, conducted by an owl. Although it’s about birds, it reflects on humans collaborating and singing together. The selection of works for the programme focus on birdsong, the freedom of birds and poet’s longing. The singers will be accompanied on keyboard and flute. The concert takes place on Sunday 9 August at 12:00.
At THK Gallery the concert is on Wednesday 12 August. The main, overarching theme for HEAT this year is Control Z, a computer term for going back, re-setting, and correcting past mistakes, The concert is based on these ideas, such as the power of music to heal as in Shubert’s An Di Musique, or illusions versus reality in a beautiful baritone aria Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen. Other works are about dreams or apologies or regrets. There are a variety of singers with keyboard accompaniment. THK Gallery is a delightful venue with wonderful works on show. The current exhibition is titled The File Cannot Be Restored, which is also computer-speak. So we can look forward to thought provoking, but also beautiful music. The title of the concert is Re-wind and takes place at 18:00.
Reverting to the Old Town House ‘Concert of the Birds’, Jeremy remarks that it included baroque music and the Habanero from Carmen, as a crowd pleaser.
No doubt that these two concerts will be a highlight of the HEAT Winter Festival 2026 that covers music, theatre and art.
WHAT: HEAT Winter Festival – Opera UCT
WHERE: Concert of the Birds – IZIKO Old Town House |Â Re-wind – THK GalleryÂ
WHEN: 9 August 12:00Â |Â 12 August 18:30
BOOKING:Â QuicketÂ
INFO: HEAT Winter Festival VISITÂ |Â IZIKOÂ |Â THK Gallery
THK GALLERY [21}Â |Â IZIKO Old Town House [F]
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