ANTON LUITINGH

Show Boat (1927) by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II tells the tale of life on the Mississippi River and is regarded as one of the landmark works of the American musical theatre. Not only does it contain some of the industry's most beloved songs, including "Ol' Man River," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "Make Believe," and "You Are Love," but it was one of the first musicals to marry dramatic narrative, with it's themes of racial predjudice and tragic love, with a musical score. It was also the first musical that featured both black and white performers on stage alongside eachother. For the very first time, we see characters fighting their way through the reality of life in the context of a popular musical theatre production. There are no happy endings for some of Showboat's characters, and it clearly paved the road to a more serious approach to the Broadway Musical. It is also one of the first examples where American writers use the theatre as a means to call for tolerance and racial harmony. 

and racial harmony.

Cape Town Opera's "Show Boat" boasts a cast of 60 performers led by singers Janelle Visagie and Blake Fisher as Magnolia and Ravenal. Together with a support team of 11, headed by director Janice Honeyman and conductor Albert Horne,  the company sets off on August 9 to conquer Malmo, Sweden with 10 performances from August 15 – 29 of the eternally popular musical.