Madiba the African Opera is the biographical opera in the life of Nelson Mandela whose libretto was written by the late former presidents Grand Nephew, HRH Chief UnathiPhathuxoloMtirara. The music is composed by a Cape Town based SibusisoNjeza with Orchestration by KutlwanoMasote.
The idea of the Opera was born from Mtirara’s wish to document the history of the Thembu Royal Family and Nation. He soon realized that a unique story about our beloved Madiba would be a great conduit for the story he wanted to tell about his family. It was Mtirara’s Great Grandfather, King Jongintaba who took the responsibility of raising the 9 year old Nelson Mandela after the death of his father, Chief GadlaMphakanyiswa. Therefore, Mtirara grew up with family tales and anecdotes about Nelson’s early life in Mqhekezweni. In his libretto, Mtirara seeks to highlight little-known but impactful events in the life of the young Mandela and how some of these events came about
