The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe
AWARD-WINNING Malian guitarist Habib Koite is set to shut down the 2017 Harare International Festival of the Arts with a bang when he performs on the main stage tonight.
Koite shares the stage with a still to be disclosed lineup of some of Africa’s most celebrated musicians.
Hifa founder and artistic director Manuel Bagorro said as festival organisers, they were excited to have “a major artiste shutting down the event”.
“We are closing the festival with an artiste who has over the years become a friend to Hifa,” said Bagorro, adding, “We have worked with Habib for many years and he has introduced us to a lot of artistes that have performed at the festival. So we are very proud to have a major artiste shutting this mega festival alongside a number of local and international acts.
“I won’t reveal much so as to keep the audience in suspense as to who else will be involved in the closing show, but I can tell you that Zimbabwe’s own superstar, Dr Oliver Mtukudzi will be involved as was the case with the opening show.” Bagorro highlighted that besides the Habib and friends show, there were other intriguing performances to look out for today.
“Sunday is a really exciting day packed with a diverse number of performances dotted cross the various Hifa venues in the CBD. In the afternoon we have the young and really talented Sha Sha on the ZOL main stage. Not many know of her but she has some scintillating vocals that will blow many away. It will be a cool set that is suitable for the whole family.
“Theatre enthusiasts can look out for jaw dropping productions such ‘Amsterdam’, ‘Cat Walk’ as well as ‘Where is the Love?’ among many others. We will be back on main stage with the US a capella group, Street Corner Symphony.
“These guys will blow away many as they use nothing but just their voices to produces harmonies across all genres. If anyone has seen the move, Pitch Perfect, these guys take the standard a notch higher,” enthused Bagorro.
With a tepid response from festival-goers this year, how does Bagoro feel?
“Hifa 2017 is an actual celebration of not only the arts or Zimbabwe but what is possible when people work together as a collective unit. We are really glad that the Hifa 2017 came out so spectacularly, and it’s all a tribute to everybody who has been involved in any way to make this festival a reality.
“I am proud of the mood of the festival, there is nothing complacent about the mood. People realise that there is something miraculous about the festival happening this year and they are not taking it for granted at all, which can sometimes be the case when something keeps happening on an annual basis.
“People have appreciated that it was a great challenge staging the festival last year and have realised that its return deserves support and we are feeling the love and we are proud to see everyone working together to ensure that the festival was a success.”
