OPERANAUTS PRESENTS
Joy Happenings / Joy Concours:
The Choirs in Opera
OPERANAUTS is proud to have launched the JOY HAPPENINGS / JOY CONCOURS, a singing competition series created to promote and support lyrical art and artists. Through the JOY HAPPENINGS / JOY CONCOURS program, OPERANAUTS provides music education and performance opportunities to local musicians to enrich the music community in Kinshasa.
Joy Happenings / Joy Concours 1st edition led with two opening concerts featuring soloists from Kinshasa. The winners advanced to The Grand Finale Concert where 3 winners were selected based on scores from a panel of expert musicians in addition to a public vote. The winners received a trophy and prize money at an awards ceremony in their honor.
FEBRUARY 26 2024
Dear Diary, Preparations for the 2nd edition of Joy Happenings are progressing wonderfully! We’re excited to spread joy and positivity in our Kinshasa community once again and are currently seeking sponsors to join us. By sponsoring, they’ll support a meaningful cause and align their brand with kindness. Find out more about our Sponsorship opportunities
MAY 8 2024
Dear Diary, We have finalized the 10 choirs for the competition and assigned their first opera chorus to learn. Balancing creativity, Congolese cultural relevance, and pitch and rhythmic accuracy, we begin with Mozart and Verdi. French grand opera choruses by Meyerbeer, Rossini, and Berlioz may follow. Meanwhile, we seek sponsors to cover the venue, grand piano rental, prize money, and trophies. This effort aims to introduce opera and promote healing through music. Find out how you can support us
JUNE 1 2024
Dear Diary, The eight-week training session has begun with the choirs in Kinshasa. Several large choirs, each with over 40 voices, and 5 or 6 small to medium-sized choirs are participating. Once they memorize the piece, expected by the session’s end, they will add their creative interpretations. Some choirs have already started preparing instrumental accompaniment arrangements. This progress marks an exciting phase as we move closer to our goal. Help us reach our goal for 2024
SEPTEMBER 1 2024
Dear Diary,
In May, we received videos showing that the choirs already perform classical pieces. As teaching artists, we were curious about how they manage to teach an opera chorus to their choir. We were also concerned that we might have overstepped and that the challenge could be too difficult.
Today, we were delighted to receive a message from Axel TSHINANGA, the choir master of Chorale Angélus, a choir with over 40 voices. This assured us that his choir has persevered. He shared their experience:
“The first challenge was the language. To overcome this, we printed a text with the Italian lyrics, phonetics (pronunciation only), and the French translation. Then, we focused on understanding the story and context, followed by listening to recordings and watching videos online to grasp what we needed to reproduce.
The work was done in two parts. The first part, divided into two phases: (1) with the core team and then (2) with the whole choir. We worked first by sections—individual voices—and then combined all the voices.
The same approach was used in the second part, which included additional training with instrumentalists. Not everyone reads from the score, so among the technical members, core members, and the rest of the chorus, those who can read from the score do so, while others use the text we provided.
Memorization is complete. Now, the perfect execution of the chorus is in progress. At 70%, the work has already advanced.”
Featured Candidate Choirs are: Chorale Angélus, Chorale Le Bon Berger, Choeur Triomphal DRC, Choeur UNISIC Cantores, Chorale La Colombe du Ciel, Chorale La Joie, L'Opéra Choeur Kinshasa / UPN, Chorale Sainte Agathe, Chorale Sainte Catherine d'Ongrie, Chorale Sancta Familia
Joy Happenings/Joy Concours: Choirs in Opera has been postponed.
Le concours Choirs in Opera a été reporté afin d’être intégré au programme du festival de musique d’opéra.
1 Alfred LOWALOBE, Baryton
2 Benjamin LUABA, Ténor
3 David LUNGU, Ténor
4 Dieumerci SELENGWE, Ténor
5 Divin PHOBA, Ténor
6 Eddy LUKAU, Bass baryton
7 Glodi MAYINGI, Baryton
8 Grace-Mélanie TUBUKU, Mezzo-soprano
9 H-My KWEVI, Ténor
10 Jemima MUKOKO, Soprano
11 John BALOJI, Ténor lyrique léger
12 Junior YAKUSU, Bass
13 Ludovic BILOLO, Ténor
14 Marie-Eliane KAZADI, Mezzo-soprano
15 Moïse BAUMA, Ténor
16 Mirphyle KAPINGA, Mezzo-soprano
17 Patrick MUPEPE, Bass baryton
18 Rosette MBIYA, Soprano
19 Rosie BENGA, Mezzo-soprano
20 Vanessa MOBALI, Soprano
Following our finalists performing their opera arias and as the Operanauts Team counts the scores and votes to determine the Concours winners, Operanauts are proud to introduce an emerging ensemble from Kinshasa, the Blue Marlin Events, who will perform a set of opéra folcklorique, a brand-new musical genre of their own invention.
Opéra folcklorique is a unique category that combines elements from early Italian opera with stories from Congo’s tradition of griot folklore. It originated after Operanauts brought a collection of early Italian songs and opera arias, donated by Alfred Music Publishing, to Kinshasa in 2018. Pianist Diego Tara and his street musician friends began to improvise over the Italian songs, incorporating opera vocals and griot performance as they went. Before long, a new genre was born.
Blue Marlin Events will also perform at the CONGO YETU charity concert, with details below.
Soloists from the young adult choir CHOEUR NAVITAS:
CONGO YETU: UN GESTE D’AMOUR POUR GOMA
APRIL 9 2022, 6PM
OPERANAUTS, RDC is proud to invite you to attend the charitable concert, CONGO YETU: un geste d’amour pour Goma, a gesture of love for those who suffer in eastern Congo. The concert will take place in the Boboto Cultural Center at 7 Avenue Father Boka in Kinshasa/Gombe on Saturday 9 April 2022 at 6PM, followed by a reception for VIP ticket-holders.
The CONGO YETU (“Our Congo” in Swahili) concert is dedicated to helping provide drinking water to victims of the recent volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Congo.
Concert programme:
Mozart’s Requiem arranged by Franz Beyer
Performed by the young adult choir CHOEUR NAVITAS conducted by Diego Tara, soloists will include Dorothée Mulomba Etosi, soprano; Dorcas Masika Nende, contralto; Benjamin Luaba, tenor; and Junior Yakusu Itambo, bass
Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro
Performed with traditional instruments, griots, and dancers presented by the music group Blue Marlin Events ensemble, featuring: Diego Tara, clavier/arrangeur, founder; Jorluquin Omandje Lohombolo, Griot et Danseur; Grâce Botakile Lofulo, Griot et Danseur; Patrick Lisambola Bokota, Guitare Bass; Christian Bola Mpote, Guitare Solo acoustique et accompagnement; Alexy Dongwa Ikonga, Percussioniste; Jean-Marie Mongi Mongi, Batteur avec la gourde rempli de sable; Exaucé Mukata Engondo, Ngongi, Maracas; Béni Mabanza Mongombo, Pianiste; Jonely, Danseur; Dorcas Masika Nende, Chanteur, danseur, metteur en scène et gestionnaire.
“Almost half of Goma’s residents now have no drinking water,” warned Rachel Bernard, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross’s regional delegation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “There’s a high risk of outbreaks of waterborne diseases, such as cholera.”
Get Tickets
For tickets or more information about our upcoming events, Whatsapp +243898990537 or email concoursjoy@gmail.com / operanauts@gmail.com
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Operanauts relies on the kindness and support from our donors to make our work in Kinshasa possible. Charitable contributions from the Joy Happenings concert will go toward providing drinking water to victims of the volcanic eruption in eastern Congo. We invite you to make a donation today.
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