FELA! THE CONCERT
FEATURING THE CAST OF THE TONY AWARD-WINNING BROADWAY MUSICAL
(USA)
19 March - 22 March 2015
The Civic
Spectacular and inspiring, Fela! The Concert will ignite audiences from Thursday 19 - Sunday 22 March at Auckland Arts Festival 2015.
Celebrating the songs of Fela Kuti, the founding father of Afrobeat, Fela! The Concert is a non-stop, riotous blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies.
Kuti was a musical rebel with a political cause, famous for mixing his sensual, eclectic sounds with simple and powerful lyrics that openly assailed Nigerias oppressive dictatorships.
Heavily influenced by the American Black Power movement, Kuti's first experiments with the music he christened 'Afrobeat' developed amidst the unrest of early 1970s Nigeria.
Regularly beaten by the military and jailed by successive Nigerian leaders, Kuti eventually formed a political party and put himself forward for president. After being jailed again in 1984, Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience. Freed after 20 months in prison, he travelled to America, where he performed alongside Bono, Carlos Santana and the Neville Brothers as part of Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope Concert. More than a million people attended his funeral after he died from an AIDS-related illness in 1997.
Fela! The Concert, based on the highly acclaimed and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, showcases Fela Kuti's pioneering music, revealing a man who was both an incredible artist and a strident human rights activist. Featuring members of the original cast from the Broadway production, including a full band, dancers and backup singers and set against film footage of Kuti's life in Nigeria, Fela! The Concert is a full-on celebration of the mans most captivating songs.
FELA! The Musical premiered on Broadway in 2009 and was nominated for eleven Tony Awards. The feature length documentary, Finding Fela, by Academy Award-winning director, Alex Gibney, was released in 2014.
"Jolting and joyous" - Time Out New York
SEASON DETAILS
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Show |
Fela! The Concert |
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Where |
The Civic |
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When |
Thursday 19 March - Sunday 22 March, 7.30pm |
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Duration |
1 hr 30 mins no interval |
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Price |
Premium $87.00 Premium Friend/Conc/Group $81.00 A Res $75.00 Friend/Conc/Group $69.00 B Res $60.00 Friend/Conc/Group $55.00 C Res $45.00 D Res $35.00 |
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Bookings |
Book at Ticketmaster outlets: www.ticketmaster.co.nz/ P: 09 970 9700 or 0800 111 999 |
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Information |
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Social Media |
Facebook: facebook.com/Aklfestival Twitter: @Aklfestival |
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Video |
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Media enquiries |
Meredith McGrath, Publicist P: +64 (0)9 3740317 M:+64 (0)27 4473247 E: Meredith.mcgrath@aaf.co.nz |
With support from Embassy of the United States of America, and Friedlander Foundation.