From the left are Riaan van Rooyen of Bank Windhoek, composer Marcellinus Swartbooi, musical director Jacus Krige, choir director Theodore Cookson, actress Senga Brockerhoff and Professor Aldo Behrens who wrote the script for Jakob Marengo Musical.
Legendary arts promoter Aldo Behrens, is bringing a musical about legendary Nama fighter, Jakob Marengo, to the stage at the Bank Windhoek Arts Festival early in September at the National Theatre. The Bank Windhoek Arts Festival and the National Theatre have commissioned Aldo Behrens to stage a premium theatre musical titled ‘Jakob Marengo – Lest we Forget!’on the life of the Namibian legend, Jakob Marengo, which is scheduled to be performed on 5, 6 and 7 September 2013, at the NTN in Windhoek.
Behrens wrote the script and is the director of this special crafted musical. Marcellinus Swartbooi is commissioned to compose a suite of ten Nama songs for the musical. Jakob Marengo – Lest we Forget is based on a play by Henry Bailey. The story starts when Tararos Jossob, a student at the University of Namibia, reads to her fiancé, Gottschalk, an entry in the diary of her great grandmother, Tararos Marengo. The entry is dated 21 September 1907. “The sun is setting on a day we all want to forget. Maans van Wyk brought the news today. Marengo is dead – 3 shots to his head…” Actors playing the main characters are Senga Brokeroff, Valerie Isaaks, Michelle Nawases, David Ndjavera, Mola and Morne Mouers. The Bank Windhoek Kalahari Ensemble and the Trio Feminale will play the score. Saxaphone and flute player, Jacus Krige is the director and conductor of Music, while Theo Cookson, newly appointed leader of the Mascato Choir, is the leader of the singers. The show is planned as a multi media production with visuals of various historic places and documents being projected against the majestic background of the Karas Mountains and the dunes of the Namib. Tickets are available at Computicket.
