Introducing a jam-packed line-up of music, the opening concert will feature Ammiel and Avigail Bushakevitz as soloists with Camerata Tinta Barocca, a Cape Town based baroque ensemble. Also look out for Three Professors on Three Pianos, a première for Hermanus FynArts, which features Francois du Toit performing with Franklin Larey and Albie van Schalkwyk.
Two main art events will anchor the visual arts: the 2015 Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition is organised by Jaco Sieberhagen, with the theme, ‘Biodiversity’, while the historic synagogue houses (In) The Nature of Things, which engages with themes beyond the superficial beauty of the natural world, with artists independently curated by Marilyn Martin, Melvyn Minnaar and Matthew Blackman. A combined exhibition by Diane Victor and Gordon Froud called Second Lives (A repurposed title) and twelve local galleries hosting special exhibitions, are among those on the FynArts Amble, which also offers the chance to meet local artists. At the Windsor Hotel, the ceramic exhibition showcases the work of 22 well-known ceramicists and will be opened by Hennie Meyer.
The Festival also boasts an exciting series of one-off literary workshops: Christopher Hope will give a three-day workshop entitled ‘The Novel: Where Fact Meets Fiction’, examining how facts provide food for fiction; Mike Nicol presents ‘The FynArt of Murder’, a two-day workshop teaching the dark secrets of plotting and how to create engaging characters; and Karin Schimke presents ‘What if a Poem were a House?’, a three-day workshop towards making one’s poetry more inviting and habitable.
From this year on, Hermanus FynArts will recognise the diverse origins of immigrants to South Africa, kicking off in 2015 with the Italian Connection. The fine art of food will be celebrated throughout the Festival, including a gala dinner at Bona Dea Private Estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and a Pop-up Festival Kitchen at the Windsor Hotel, where top chefs will give twice daily demonstrations organised by chef Garth Stroebel.
These are only some of the events on offer. To find out more visit www.hermanusfynarts.co.za. Bookings are through Webtickets, and can be made on the Fynarts website.
