SYNOPSIS
Prologue
Princess Magogo's Bedroom
On her Deathbed
The Opera opens with the Princess
Magogo alone in her bed. She is
dying. As she lies in her bed she
fondly remembers her youth
Uyephi Na? Male ancestral
warriors enter inviting her to
join them WozaS'ambe. King
Dinuzulu has come to collect
her to join the ancestors
WozaMntanami,
Woz'ekhaya. Before she
leaves to join the
ancestors, she recalls
the more important
moments of
her life ……
Act One
Scene 1:
The Mahashini Royal Residence
The King returns from exile
All is not well in the Kingdom of the Zulus Umgwagwa
Usehlomile. King Dinuzulu is returning from being
imprisoned on the island of St Helena. The Zulu nation is in
disarray as a result of the war with the British. The villagers
celebrate the return of the King from St Helena
Shayan'ingunguMaZulu.As the King enters, he is led by an
imbongi, traditional royal praise-poet who chants the King's
praisesUMamongaUSuthu. The King greets the nation
Ngiyanibingelela Zulu, and his people return the
compliment by singing a song of celebration KuhleKwethu.
Scene 2:
The Mahashini Royal Residence (Some time later)
The Queen's Handmaidens announce the birth
of the Princess
Some time into the celebrations the Queen's handmaidens
enter and inform the King of the birth of the Princess,
Ndabezitha, Nans'indaba. The King is overjoyed Zawuju
LezoNdaba, and instructs the um'Phefeni regiment to
dance with joy Giyani ZinsizwaZoSuthu.
Scene 3:
Queen Silomo's Hut
The King hurries over to Queen Silomo's hut to express his
joyWozaNtandokaziWozaand together they celebrate the
birth of the child by praising and thanking the ancestors
Sibonga Ogogo, Sibonga Izithutha.
Scene 4:
Queen Silomo's Hut (Five years later)
Princess Magogo's Illness
As an infant the young Princess Magogo contracts a
mysterious illness. The Queen and her handmaidens
appeal to the King and the ancestors for a remedy Iyagula
Lengane. The entire Zulu community are concerned about
the illness of the Princess InyangaYegogo. The 'Sangoma'
throws the bones to discover the cure for her illness. He
cures her by using the fat of the 'igogo' buck. As a result
her brother Prince Mshiyeni nicknames her Magogo, the
name that was to stay with her for all her life.
Narrative Interlude 1:
Singing for the Nation
The dying Princess Magogo from the Prologue thanks her
ancestors for protecting her and healing her of her
sickness enabling her to become the songstress of the
nationHayan'ingoma. She calls on the ancestors and the
nation to join her in song.
The dying Magogo remembers with foreboding the
dangers and tragedy that befell her family and ancestors
both at the hands of the British and at the hands of some
of the more brutal Zulu kings. She sings about the sorry
state of the Zulu nation at the hands of King Dingane
SabulawaKwazulu. This anxiety is born out by the
machinations of Bambatha who is agitating for a rebellion
against the taxes being imposed by the British.
Scene 5:
The Mahashini Royal Residence
Bambatha's Rebellion
Bambatha leads the warriors in a song about rebellion
Bambaniim'khonto. The King cautions them against the
ideaWalishis'izweBambatha. The warriors chant a war cry
about the British imposing taxes Basifunani?, and appeal
to the King's sense of nationalism which leads the King to
appeal to the Ancestors for guidance KozeKubeNini?
Together they decry the machinations of the British
Colonists Nangumlung'eshiszwe.
Scene 6:
Somewhere in the Mahashini Royal Residence
We encounter Queen Silomo singing with her five year old
daughter. She laments the influence that Bambatha's
rebellion will have on their lives. The dying Princess
Magogo as she witnesses her mother singing with her as
a child recollects the pain she felt as a little girl and joins
her in the duet WangenzaBambatha.
Scene 7:
The Mahashini Royal Enclosure
The arrest of the King
The rebel leader is captured and beheaded by the
English. Duncan, the Commander of the British Forces in
Natal enters, and issues a warning to the Zulus Ikhanda
LikaBambatha.King Dinuzulu, Mankulumane, Queen
Silomo, Duncan, the dying Princess Magogo, the
handmaidens and the Zulus argue about the position and
relevance of the Zulu Royal House, and the King is
arrested. As the King leaves the stage he charges his
songbird, Princess Magogo to sing about the history of
her nation MantithiQopha Lo Mlando. Her charge is to
bear witness to the destruction of the Zulu nation. We
witness the dying Princess Magogo's pain as she
recollects this moment with sadness.
INTERVAL
Act Two
Scene 1:
A Rural Church
Solace in the Church
Many years have passed. The Princess and her brothers
have been orphaned. The act begins with Princess
Magogo in church singing about the sheer weight of the
responsibility that her father has given her as historian and
storytellerWangethwes'itshe'khandaDlothovu. She finds
solace in religion UJehovaUngumlondolozi
Scene 2:
In the Fields The Trials of the Orphans and their Vow
We see the young Princess and her brother, Prince
Solomon, singing about their fate at the hands of their
foster parents NithuleNithini? The two make a vow to look
after each other. The Prince swears that he will elevate his
sister to her correct station when he is crowned King
Ngiyakwethembisa, Mantithi.
Scene 3:
Outside the Stepmothers Residence
Princess Magogo is tormented
Princess Magogo is tormented by her foster mothers
who are jealous of her Royal status and her ability to sing
uMagogoNomdlunkulu.
Scene 4:
Solomon's Royal Enclosure
King Solomon's Coronation
The new King is crowned. He is announced and
venerated by the now ageing MankulumaneNansiInkosi
Yenu. King Solomon calls for unity among the Zulus and is
now able to elevate his sister to her rightful place in the
Royal Household. They celebrate the appearance of the
rainbow - the end of their hardship and Princess Magogo
acknowledges his status as King UthingoLwenkosazana.
Scene 5:
In a Garden
The Lovers meet
We hear the Princess singing a song in which she
extols the virtues of her lover Ngibambeni,
Ngibambeni.We meet Ndwandwe, the love of the
Princess. They sing about the excitement of their
prospective love Sofa Silahlane. She sings to her
lover about whiling away the time until his return,
accompanying herself on the ugubhu, (a traditional
bow percussion instrument) Umghubansuku.
Scene 6:
Somewhere in King Solomon's Royal House
We hear King Solomon singing about the impending jadu.
He foretells the coming together of the two clans, and sings
about the resolution of the conflict over land by
InkosiMathole Buthelezi who presides over the matter.
Scene 7:
King Solomon’s Royal Enclosure
The unification of the clans.
InkosiMathole of the Buthelezi tribe gladly accepts the role
to mediate between the Buthelezi and the UsuthuIjadu.
They come together in a grand celebration where one
group returns the compliment of the other. After the
celebrations the King, InkosiMathole and Mankulumane
are left alone to finalise the agreements. It is during this
settlement that Mankulumane suggests that Inkosi
Buthelezi and the Princess should be wed to further cement
the unification of the two clans SikhulekelaUbunye.
Scene 8:
The Garden Once More
The Farewell
We find the Princess lamenting the fact that she has to
leave her love. She is joined by Ndwandwe. They sing
about the pain of their farewell Angivumanga, Kuvume
Amathongo. She sacrifices her great love for her nation.
Epilogue
Scene 1:
Princess Magogo’s Bedroom Once More
We find Princess Magogo once more in her deathbed. She
is surrounded by her Male Royal Ancestors. They are
joined by InkosiMathole, who praises Princess Magogo
and invites her home. The Women of the Nation
represented by a trio of Female Ancestors do likewise as
do Queen Silomo, King Dinuzulu, and King Solomon
Woz'ekhaya. They have come to carry her to join the
ancestors. Her promise to her father intact, the Princess
agrees to join the ancestors Sengiyeza. Happy with
Princess Magogo's response, the ancestors repeat their
invitation to her to join them and come home Woza-ke
S'ambe Reprise.The heavens are revealed.
Scene 2:
Stairway to Heaven
Princess Magogo is ceremoniously dressed in ancestral
garments and as she ascends to heaven the Ancestors and
the Nation sing her praises in a Grand Finale ImbaliYawoMageba.