THE 2022 MUSON Festival which began on Friday, October 21, continues this week with a ot more juicy offerings and will end on October 30.
The 26th edition of the yearly festival is on the theme Resurgence, and, according to the organisers, it is designed to reflect on the disruptions and dislocations caused by the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic to the economic and social well-being of the world.
At a media briefing to formally announce the 2022 feats, Sir Louis Mbanefo, (SAN), Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said the edition will start with the opening ceremony today, followed immediately by the festival’s drama production, Childe Internationale by Wole Soyinka.”
Sponsored by the American oil company, Chevron, the presentation featuring in the lead the popular actor and university teacher, Dr Tunji Sotimirin is MUSON’s way of celebrating the distinguished playwright and essayist, Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature 36 years ago, in 1986.
On Sunday, October 23, the maiden edition of the newly introduced ‘Sunday Musical Brunch’ was held at the La Scala Restaurant located in the premises of the MUSON Center, which formally opened in 2004.
“During the brunch, our talented musicians from the Diploma School will provide a continuous concert. Hopefully, this will become a monthly event,” he said.
The traditional MUSON Day would be October 25, and the occasion is to celebrate the birthday of MUSON with a concert by talented MUSON artists.
On October 29, “we shall celebrate the 70th birthday of Senator Daisy Danjuma, the wife of our distinguished Patron, General T.Y. Danjuma, with the performance of the opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, and I in her honour.”
The gala concert, which holds on Sunday, October 30, is sponsored by Total Energies.
“The concert will feature the MUSON Choir, directed by Emeka Nwokedi, and the MUSON Symphony Orchestra conducted by our visiting maestro, Walter-Michael Vollhardt.”
The festival’s jazz night will be held on November 5.
While fielding questions from journalists, Mbanefo who acknowledged the founding members of MUSON Centre, said the facility was established with the main objective of promoting understanding and enjoyment of serious music.
“We tackled our objectives in two ways. First, we have held concerts with regularity since 1984, with performances of the highest quality by Nigerian and expatriate performers. We have developed two Schools of Music – the Basic School, which provides musical education in the theory of performance of musical instruments for Nigerians of all ages, and the Diploma School.
“MUSON has raised considerably, the standard of singing and musical performance in churches, in schools, and at social events. Indeed, many churches and musical societies throughout Nigeria are borrowing from the templates established by MUSON. There can be no doubt that training in classical music is an important discipline for our youth and a source of spiritual fulfillment, not to mention employment, throughout their lives.”
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