Ndlovu Youth Choir Begins 2026 International Tour In Cape Town
A busy year for the much-loved Ndlovu Youth Choir kicks off with concerts in Cape Town at Artscape on Thursday, 05 February at 7:30pm, Friday at 7:30pm and then two performances on Saturday 07 February at 3pm and 7:30pm before closing the run with two shows on Sunday, 08 February at 2pm and 6pm. With Johannesburg performances to come later in the year, South African audiences are ensured of continuing what has become a must-see, joy-filled musical tradition. The Choir’s national tours have been sold out every year since 2021, underlining the esteem in which they are held by audiences in their home country. It’s not only here that they are loved, though: the Choir currently has a social media following of 4.5 million and their total video views recently surpassed 750 million across all platforms!
During the Cape Town run, presented by Showtime Management in association with SmileFM, music lovers will be treated to a hit-laden setlist in which one of the undisputable highlights will be the Ndlovu Youth Choir’s interpretation of Queen’s eternal tour de force ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The song was added to their repertoire in 2024, featuring an arrangement that somehow gave even a song this popular a boost in popularity. The story of how the Choir was able to get the rights to record and perform the song is an unconventional one. Choir Director Ralf Schmitt knew it would be difficult, particularly once the lyrics were translated into isiZulu and the arrangement was updated to include African rhythms and stylings. So, he took a chance, recording a fully produced studio version of the track and creating a spectacular music video before sending the results to Queen’s publishers Sony Music in London, who in turn forwarded them to the surviving band members and the Mercury Phoenix Foundation, representing the late Freddie Mercury. The band loved it and gave their blessing to an Ndlovu Youth Choir release, an incredible encouragement for the Choir’s young singers.
Schmitt says:
“We are incredibly proud to share our uniquely African, isiZulu rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. Widely regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time, it has been a true privilege to reimagine what it might have sounded like had Freddie Mercury’s musical journey never left our beautiful continent of Africa. We are deeply grateful to Queen for granting us permission to create the first-ever commercially released translation of this iconic masterpiece. We hope we have done the song justice and that uBaba Freddie Mercury is smiling down on us.”
The 2026 setlist combines some of the biggest names international music from across eras and genres, including Elton John (‘Circle of Life’); Aretha Franklin (‘Respect’); Giacomo Puccini (‘Nessun Dorma’, sung most famously by Luciano Pavarotti); Dolly Parton (‘Jolene’) and Toto (‘Africa’) among many others. Powerful local flavour comes from two medleys – a new South African medley, an Amapiano medley, Ghoema music – as well as classics from Vicky Sampson (‘African Dream’); Mango Groove (‘Hellfire’); Solomon Linda (‘Mbube’); and Mama Africa herself, Miriam Makeba (‘The Click Song’ and ‘Pata Pata’).
Tony Feldman of Showtime Management, says:
“The Ndlovu Youth Choir continues to inspire, performing magnificent tours for homegrown audiences while also sharing South African musical culture with the world. We’re incredibly excited for the Choir’s 2026 dates and the new audiences they’ll reach in Cape Town, Johannesburg and abroad.”
Ralf Schmitt elaborates:
“We leave directly after the Artscape concerts on our American Tour. We also have another run at the Afas Theatre in the Netherlands and then a performance at the prestigious Amare Theatre in the Hague.”
The Ndlovu Youth Choir, based in the Moutse Valley in rural Limpopo, was founded in 2009 and has become one of South Africa’s most treasured choral groups, recognised globally (thanks in part to reaching the finals of America’s Got Talent Season 14) for their unique music locally and internationally with tours across the USA and Europe. The Choir has performed as the headline artist at the Africa Festival in Würzburg, Germany, enjoyed a theatre residency at the prestigious AFAS Theatre in the Netherlands and performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York, among many other notable engagements, including performing for the likes of Trevor Noah, King Charles and Bill Gates.
The 15 choristers and live three-piece band will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride, bringing passion, precision and heart to their South African shows – 12 concerts only! Seats are limited so hurry, book today!
#NdlovuLIVE
Show Information
Ndlovu Youth Choir SA Tour
Cape Town: Artscape Theatre Centre
Thursday, 05 February at 7:30pm;
Friday, 06 February at 7:30pm;
Saturday, 07 February at 3pm and 7:30pm;
Sunday, 08 February 2025 at 2pm and 6pm
Johannesburg: Montecasino’s Teatro
Thursday, 30 July at 7:30pm;
Friday, 31 July at 7:30pm;
Saturday, 01 August at 3pm and 7:30pm;
Sunday, 02 August at 2pm and 6pm
Ticket Prices:
R200, R300, R400, R500 (including VAT)
Bookings:
Tickets on sale exclusively via Ticketmaster
Group Bookings:
Discounted group bookings on groups of 20+ tickets, top two ticket prices,
valid only for Thursday and Friday performances.
Contact sales@showtime.co.za T’s and C’s apply.
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