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Kundai Marunya Arts Correspondent
Renowned choral group, Chitungwiza Harmony Singers yesterday kicked off a three-day opera show at Reps Theatre.

The show which ends on Saturday has a similar repertoire for the first two days while tomorrow’s grand finale will have bigger acts.

In an interview with The Herald Insight, marketing and communication manager Judith Gwande said the shows are run for over an hour.

“Our shows will be running for one hour thirty minutes. The first two days have the same repertoire. On Saturday we will have bigger acts, bigger composers and more solos than the first two shows,” she said.

This is the first time Chitungwiza Harmony Singers are hosting an opera event.

“Most of the concerts we staged included African folk songs, oratorios and African composed choral renditions. Sometimes we could include other opera pieces but on a small scale,” she said.

Gwande said the audience must anticipate to be waltzed.

“The audience must expect an amazing show which took us seven months preparing and the choir is ready. They must also look out for Molly Dzangare, our own Soprano Opera artist who will be performing famous ‘Arias’ from the Opera the Marriage of Figaro,” he said.

This year Chitungwiza Harmony Singers celebrate 25 years in choral music. Although popular, choral music is not very well appreciated in the country.

“Choral music in Zimbabwe generally has a small reception as it is usually associated with churches but the genre has since grown and spread into community choirs.

“Community choirs and other few individuals know and appreciate the genre very well and those are the people who follow us,” she said.

This year the group decided to popularise opera in the country, a genre well appreciated outside Zimbabwe attracting huge crowds.