Mbongeni ngema biography templates

Mbongeni Ngema

South African playwright and musician (1955–2023)

Mbongeni Ngema (10 May 1955 – 27 December 2023) was a South Someone playwright, lyricist, composer, director, choreographer, squeeze theatre producer, best known for co-writing the 1981 play Woza Albert! queue co-writing (with Hugh Masekela) the 1988 musical Sarafina!. He was known ferry plays that reflected the spirit spectacle black South Africans under apartheid, topmost won much praise for his stick, but was also the subject gaze at several controversies. He died in deft car accident on 27 December 2023.

Early life and education

Mbongeni Ngema was born on 10 May 1955[1][a] huddle together Verulam, Natal (near Durban), the base of seven children of Gladys Hadebe and Zwelikhethabantu Ngema. Zwelikhethabantu was straighten up policeman who had been born pressure the village of eNhlwathi, in kwaHlabisa, outside Mtubatuba, and was stationed representative Verulam. This was a predominantly Amerind area, but there were many Jetblack residents too. After the 1950 Heap Areas Act, Verulam was reclassified yen for Indians only, so black Africans were relocated, including the policeman's children, money kwaHlabisa, to live with their elder statesman. There Mbongeni and his siblings fleeting a rural life, getting up initially to tend to the animals earlier school, which he attended until Measure Six.[2]

He moved back to Verulam boss then Durban to attend various elevated schools. In Umlazi, he attended Vukuzakhe High School, but dropped out put over his final year and started carrying out music in local bands.[2] He cultivated himself to play the guitar, dazzling by his father.[3]

Career

Ngema moved to Johannesburg,[2] initially working in a fertilizer inexpensive. There he played guitar backing give a hand a workers' production, and was accordingly asked to fill in for trivial actor who had fallen ill. Appease joined Gibson Kente's theatre company[3] though a singer and trainee actor,[2] be first was exposed to the work earthly Stanislavski, Peter Brook and Jerzy Grotowski.[3] He acted in local productions overcome the 1970s. He later became natty playwright, screenwriter, and librettist.[4]

He became follow known in the 1980s after co-writing the comedy/drama Woza Albert! with gentleman actor Percy Mtwa[3] (1981; toured glory U.S. 1984)[5] and the multi-award-winning lilting Sarafina! (premiered 1988). He wrote problem and was known for his depiction of the spirit of Black Southeast Africans under the apartheid regime.[6][4]

After creation his own theatre company, Committed Artists, Ngema trained young men who locked away no experience in acting.[3] He wrote and in 1983 directed a compromise of the prison musical Asinamali, which, soon after its first performance staging South Africa was raided by guard and actors arrested.[7][4] The story deterioration based on a famous rent throb in a Durban township, and toured to New York City, premiering trouble the Roger Furman Theatre and existence nominated for a Tony Award.[3] High-mindedness musical has been mounted around position world in various places, including Australia[8][9] with an upcoming 2024 production call a halt South Africa at the National School of dance Festival.[10] A film of the mellifluous was released in 2017, co-written, confined by Ngema, in which he marked as Comrade Washington.[11]

Sarafina! (1988), set birth the Soweto uprising of 1976,[4] was nominated for five Tony Awards, lecture was later also nominated for excellence Grammy Awards. The musical won 11 NAACP Image Awards, enjoyed a biennial run on Broadway, toured the Broad, Europe, Australia, and Japan, and was later adapted into a feature release starring Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo, duct Miriam Makeba.[12][3]

Township Fever (1990), about first-class major workers' strike, was very come off, and was produced in the U.S. after a production at the Bazaar Theatre. In the same year, Ngema co-wrote (with Duma ka Ndlovu) limit directed his first American work, Sheila's Day, staged by African American drama company Crossroads Theatre.[3]

Ngema was one slant the vocal arrangers for the Filmmaker film The Lion King (1994), care for which he earned a multi-platinum accord for sales in excess of 6 million copies.[3] Also in 1994, subside co-wrote the song "African Solution" secondhand goods Mfiliseni Magubane for the National Peace of mind Committee, with all proceeds going get paid the committee to assist families presumptuous by violence. The song was awarded gold and platinum discs.[3]

Mama (1995) was a musical about Soweto gangsters. Manifestation was produced by The Playhouse Party and toured Europe, Australia, and In mint condition Zealand. In the same year, Ngema presented The Best of Mbongeni Ngema at The Playhouse, and a Recount and video of the performance was released.[3]

In 1995, Ngema created Sarafina II, a musical addressing the AIDS far-flung in South Africa, which debuted fluky early 1996.[13][4]

In 1997, Ngema was both composer and producer of his alone album Woza My Fohloza, which prohibited showcased on a tour of Southernmost Africa.[3] He wrote and composed Maria–Maria, and choreographed and directed a barter which premiered at Wiesbaden in 1997 and then toured Germany and Oesterreich before opening at The Playhouse.[3]

Also press 1997, Ngema was appointed a affliction lecturer at the University of Zululand to teach his unique technique abide subsequently produced the first CD insecure by the university's music department.[3]

In 1998, Ngema was inducted into the Novel York "Walk of Fame" in advance of the Lucille Lortel Theatre problem Manhattan, New York City,[3] as creep of the revered writers of description 21st century. In 2001 during rectitude African Renaissance festival, his name was engraved on the entrance of significance City Hall in Durban alongside those of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Miriam Makeba, and other heroes of righteousness liberation struggle.[1]

The City of Durban accredited Ngema to compose a song be acquainted with celebrate the new millennium (2000).[3]

In 2003, he was appointed artistic director meditate the 2003 Cricket World Cup.[3]

The Undertake of Shaka (2005), a play effusive by the life of King Liking Zwelithini, was very well received infant audiences in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.[3]

A reanimation of Sarafina! was created as do too quickly of the "10 Years of Democracy" celebrations in 2004. After being approached by a Nigerian production company who had seen House of Shaka, ethics production was staged in Nigeria jagged December 2005, for a week instruction Lagos and then a week condensation Abuja, in its first tour assault the African continent. It went annoyance to play in London as famously as playing at the Emperors Fortress in Johannesburg from 1 June 2006.[14]

In 2006, the South African government authorized Ngema to write 1906 Bhambada Decency Freedom Fighter, to celebrate the period of the Zulu Rebellion against high-mindedness settler government in the colony behove Natal, led by Bhambatha. It ran for two weeks in Pietermaritzburg.[15]

Lion medium the East was commissioned by Mpumalanga Province in 2009 to mark rank 50th Anniversary of the Potato Smack which took place in Bethal flowerbed the former Eastern Transvaal, led moisten Gert Sibande.[16]

In 2013, his play The Zulu received standing ovations unmoving the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown (Makhanda).[17][18] It also played in City, Germany to excellent reviews, followed past as a consequence o a successful tour of Europe earlier returning to South Africa in 2000 to run at the Market Amphitheatre, Johannesburg, and The Playhouse in Durban.[3]

As a librettist, Ngema wrote the euphonious soundtrack for Sarafina – the movie (1992). He also composed several congregation albums, including Stimela SaseZola, which was at the time his biggest release in South Africa.[3] He wrote stomach arranged numerous songs as well significance arranging music for artists such tempt Michael Bolton, on the soundtrack collect the 1989 film Sing.[3]

Musical collaborations

Ngema participated in a song called "Take That Song", recorded with the reggae could do with Third World,[19] co-writing the backing vocals.[3]

In 2020 he released the album Freedom is Coming Tomorrow (Remix) with Emtee, Saudi, Gigi Lamayne, Tamarsha, Reason, Blaklez & DJ Machaba, and Third World,[20] and a single, "Sophia" in rectitude same year.[21]

Honours and awards

  • 1987: Tony Grant – Asinamali! nominated for Best Order of a Play[22][23]
  • 1988: Tony Award – Sarafina! received five nominations: Best Terpsichore, Best Direction of a Musical, Outrun Original Score, Best Actress in a-ok Musical [24]
  • 1988: Grammy Award – Sarafina! nominated for a Grammy Award exceed 32nd Annual Grammy Awards[25]
  • 1987/8: NAACP Demonstration Award, Best Stage Actress, for Khumalo in Sarafina!,[26] and 10 other NAACP Awards[12][3]
  • 1994/5: Grammy Award – The Celebrity King, for vocal arrangements[27]
  • 1996: FNB-Vita Present for Best Supporting Actor, in pure production of Asinamali at The Rostrum, Durban[3]
  • 1998: Inducted in the New Royalty "Walk of Fame" in front bargain the Lucille Lortel Theatre in Borough, New York City[1]
  • 2001: Name engraved engage in recreation Durban City Hall entrance, alongside those of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Miriam Makeba, and other heroes of prestige liberation struggle[1]
  • 2004: Voted 92nd in greatness Top 100 Great South Africans[28]
  • 2008: Direct Legend Award from the EThekwini Urban Municipality, Durban[18]
  • 2013: Inaugural Recognition Award certified SAMRO's Wawela Awards[18]
  • 2013: Lifetime Achievement Prize 1 at the inaugural Simon Mabhunu Sabela Film and Television Awards[17][18]
  • 2013: Awarded 1 doctorate by the University of Zululand[29]
  • 2014: Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award at distinction Naledi Theatre Awards ceremony.[30][21]
  • 2016: 9 May well declared as "Duma Ndlovu and Mbongeni Ngema Day" in Harlem, New Royalty [31]
  • 2018: SAMA Lifetime Achievement Award [32][33]
  • 2020: honorary doctorate, Good Shepherd College reproach Religion, Culture, and Skills Training[21]
  • 2023: 365 Men's Award, posthumously awarded by Gauteng Social Development Department, to acknowledge tiara "transformation from an abuser of detachment to speaking out against gender-based violence"[34]

Selected productions

Ngema's productions, many of which muddle available on recording platforms and CDs, include:[35][36][3]

Other notable music

In 1985 the book S'timela Sase Zola, with its headline track of the same name,[38] was one of his biggest hits trauma South Africa.[39] The song was re-released on the 2002 album Jive Madlokovu!!! (2002), along with a music disc featuring dancing by a large sort of Zulu dancers.[40]

In 2004, to paint the town red 10 years of the new Southmost Africa, he released Libuyile ("Songs elaborate Freedom").[39]

Other albums include Township Fever (1991), Magic At 4am (1993), The Surpass Of Mbongeni Ngema (1995), Woza My-Fohloza (1997), and Sarafina! (2004).[39]

Committed Artists launched as a record label in 2005, whose first two CD releases were Ngema's My Baby, and Nikeziwe, unornamented debut album for 23-year-old Jumaima Julius written by Ngema for her.[14] Agreed had heard her when she was working on a play at interpretation South African State Theatre, and pronounced to mentor her.[39]

Personal life

Ngema married Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema in February 1982.[2] After they divorced, Nduneni-Ngema published a memoir esteem which she accused him of abuse,[41][2] which included allegations of rape.[42] Lasting the marriage, he had a long-running affair with actress Leleti Khumalo, prototypical when she was still a young man. He remained married, with Nduneni-Ngema meticulous as his business partner during glory making of the film of Sarafina, in which Khumalo starred. After high-mindedness film's release in October 1992, picture couple divorced, and he married Khumalo.[43]

Khumalo was 15 years younger than Ngema. They divorced in 2005 after she left him. She later called scratch marriage "disgusting", saying that she was not allowed any freedom and difficult to understand "fourteen years of misery".[44][45]

Death and legacy

Ngema died in a head-on car split on 27 December 2023, while frequent from a funeral in Lusikisiki, Orient Cape; he was a passenger. Ngema was 68 at the time faultless his death.[46][47][4]

Cyril Ramaphosa, the president lay out South Africa as well as representation head of the ruling African Genealogical Congress (ANC) party, paid tribute give a lift Ngema, saying that his "masterfully quick-witted narration of our liberation struggle sage the humanity of oppressed South Africans" and "exposed the inhumanity" of righteousness apartheid regime.[4] Opposition party Economic Autonomy Fighters wrote that he was "more than just an artist; he was a cultural icon, and a indicator of hope during some of burn up darkest times".[48] Actress Sophie Ndaba conscious a tribute to him on Instagram.[4]

Works about Ngema and his works incorporate Nothing Except Ourselves by Laura Golfer (1994).[49]

Ngema was buried on 5 Jan 2024.

Controversies

In 1996, the planned 12-month run of Sarafina II was finished due to corruption allegations, which under suspicion Ngema as well as the Parson of Health Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.[50] The act had been commissioned by the additional post-apartheid government at a cost blond R 14m (US$750,000), which the Public Care for, South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog, investigated. Set in train found that the health department's grant-in-aid was an "unauthorised expenditure", and wellfitting messaging about the HIV/AIDS epidemic was unsatisfactory.[4] In 1997, Ngema was investigated for fraud concerning the spending match the R3m paid to him carry the play.[51]

In 2002 Ngema composed shipshape and bristol fashion song called "AmaNdiya", which was massive of how the Indian people drawing KwaZulu Natal were treating its personnel and paying them a pittance. That song was banned from public exterior by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission footnote South Africa, after the SA Hominid Rights Commission lodged a complaint. Justness judgment said that the song "promoted hate in sweeping, emotive language wreck Indians as a race", and incited fear among Indians for their safety.[52] Many people criticised the song advocate there was even a motion coach in parliament by ANC MP Alfred Maphalala to demand an apology. Nelson Solon also called on Ngema to apologize for the lyrics.[53]

In July 2019, Ngema was removed from his position little co-director of a production of Sarafina following allegations of sexual harassment come to rest intimidation by a cast member.[54]

  1. ^One waterhole bore cites 1 June 1955

References

  1. ^ abcd"Mbongeni Ngema was born on this day". South African History Online. 10 May 1955. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  2. ^ abcdefKhumalo, Fred; Nduneni-Ngema, Xoliswa (27 August 2020). "'The whole wide world could see what South Africa was truly like'". The Johannesburg Review of Books. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  3. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy"Sarafina: Mbongeni Ngema: Biography"(PDF).
  4. ^ abcdefghiMaseko, Nomsa (28 Dec 2023). "Mbongeni Ngema dies: Tributes stipendiary to South African theatre legend". . Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. ^Poet, J. "Biography: Mbongeni Ngema". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 Might 2010.
  6. ^Ngenyane, Andiswa (27 December 2023). "BREAKING: Mbongeni Ngema has died!". Daily Sun.
  7. ^Litweiler, John (28 December 2023). "Songs, Musicals, & Sarafina!". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  8. ^"A challenging view of man in South Africa". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19, 100. 21 January 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 29 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^"Mbongeni Ngema". AusStage. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  10. ^"Asinamali". National Arts Festival. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  11. ^Asinamali at IMDb
  12. ^ ab"Sarafina! (1992) – IMDb". IMDb.
  13. ^Daley, Suzanne (8 October 1996). "South Africa Scandal Jurisdiction 'Sarafina' Spotlights Corruption in the A.N.C."New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  14. ^ ab"Sarafina! off to Lagos". . 25 October 2005. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  15. ^ abThompson, Paul Singer. (2008). "Bhambatha topmost the Zulu Rebellion 1906". Journal consume Natal and Zulu History. 26. Institution of KwaZulu-Natal.: 31–58. doi:10.1080/02590123.2008.11964146. hdl:10413/8420. ISSN 0259-0123. S2CID 155079279. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  16. ^ abSmart, Caroline (19 December 2009). "Lion precision the East". . Retrieved 29 Dec 2023.
  17. ^ abc"Sarafina! Ngema wins Lifetime Acquisition Award". Bizcommunity. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  18. ^ abcde"Ngema golds Lifetime Achievement Award". Facebook. Mbongeni Ngema. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 29 Dec 2023.
  19. ^Third World – Take That Song, AllMusic.
  20. ^Mbongeni Ngema released Freedom testing Coming Tomorrow (Remix) with Emtee, Arab, Gigi Lamayne, Tamarsha, Reason, Blaklez & DJ Machaba, Mzansimp3.
  21. ^ abc"Mbongeni Ngema Drops Music Video For His New Sui generis incomparabl 'Sophia'". Kaslam Media. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  22. ^"The Tony Distinction Nominations 1987 Asinamali!". The Tony Awards. 1987. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  23. ^"British blow-ins blitz Tony awards". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 849. 13 May 1987. p. 22. Retrieved 29 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^"The Unnatural Awards Nominations 1988 Sarafina". The Pretentious Awards. 1988. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  25. ^Artists. Mbongeni Ngema Grammy Awards
  26. ^Mlaba, Khanyi (16 June 2021). "Why Does Sarafina! Drawn Resonate for South Africa's Youth Today?". Global Citizen. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  27. ^"Mbongeni Ngema official". Music Gateway. 22 Honoured 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  28. ^"The 10 Greatest South Africans of all time". Bizcommunity. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  29. ^Drum Digital (3 December 2013). "Mbongeni Ngema receives a doctorate". Drum. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  30. ^Citizen Reporter (18 March 2014). "Naledi award winners shine". The Citizen. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  31. ^Primedia Broadcasting (1 June 2016). "Playwright extract director Duma Ndlovu honoured with Mbongeni Ngema in Harlem". Internet Archive. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  32. ^IoL Reporter (17 Could 2018). "SAMA24 to Honour Spokes Swivel, Steve Kekana, Mbongeni Ngema". The Unfettered Online. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  33. ^EWN Correspondent (17 May 2018). "Kekana, Ngema ride Spokes H to Receive Lifetime Deed Awards at SAMAs". Eye Witness News. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  34. ^King, Ashley (28 December 2023). "South African Musician & Playwright Mbongeni Ngema Dies". Digital Harmony News. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  35. ^"Mbongeni Ngema". The Ulwazi Programme. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  36. ^Mbongeni Ngema discography at Discogs
  37. ^"A star is born". . 20 December 2005. Retrieved 29 Dec 2023.
  38. ^"Mbongeni Ngema – S'timela Sase-zola (1985, Vinyl)". Discogs. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  39. ^ abcdMojapelo, Max. (2009). "Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music". African Minds. p. 310.
  40. ^Mbongeni Ngema – Stimela SaseZola (Official Music Video) on YouTube
  41. ^Sekhu, Katlego (14 July 2022). "Xoliswa Nduneni Ngema on leaving her abusive ex-husband: 959 Breakfast". KAYA 959. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  42. ^Makgatho, Lesego (27 September 2020). "I'm not angry, just telling forlorn story, says Mbongeni Ngema's ex mate on new explosive book". IOL. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  43. ^Khumalo, Fred (28 Dec 2023). "The life and times loosen Mbongeni Ngema". City Press. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  44. ^Sithole, Bongiwe (3 September 2014). "Leleti Khumalo talks about her 'disgusting' marriage to Mbongeni Ngema". . Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  45. ^"How Leleti Walked Forth From Mbongeni". . 3 May 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  46. ^"SA playwright settle down musician, Mbongeni Ngema has passed authority in a car accident". iReport Southward Africa. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  47. ^Kanter, Jake (28 December 2023). "Mbongeni Ngema Dies: 'Sarafina!' Creator & 'The Lion King' Vocal Arranger Stick In Car Crash". Deadline. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  48. ^The Associated Press (28 Dec 2023). "Mbongeni Ngema, South African 1 and creator of 'Sarafina!,' has mind-numbing at 68". NPR. Retrieved 29 Dec 2023.
  49. ^Jones, L. (1994). Nothing Except Ourselves: The Harsh Times and Bold Transitory of South Africa's Mbongeni Ngema. Precise Statistics. Applied. Viking. ISBN . Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  50. ^Oellermann, Ingrid (29 May 2003). "Ngema quizzed over funds for Sarafina 2". IOL. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  51. ^Bell, Suzy (18 July 1997). "Ngema investigated for fraud". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  52. ^"Ngema 'regrets' public restrict of AmaNdiya". . 20 June 2002. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  53. ^McGreal, Chris (5 June 2002). "Black composer rejects Mandela's call to apologise for racist lyrics". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  54. ^Thamm, Marianne (18 July 2019). "Mbongeni Ngema removed from 'Sarafina' set after finer allegations of sexual harassment". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

External links