Dancer

Myth, magic, music, movement, and mesmerizing imagery combine in revered South African visual artist William Kentridge’s newest production.
Presented in two parts, SIBYL is inspired by the Greek myth of the Cumaean Sibyl, and wrestles with the human desire to know our future, and our helplessness before powers and technologies that obscure that knowledge from us. The chamber opera Waiting for the Sibyl features nine vocalists and dancers interacting with Kentridge’s distinctive stage design, which energizes the action of the performers with hand-painted sets, animated ink drawings, swirling projected text, collage, and shadow play.
Kentridge has taken the opera world by storm in recent years with his strikingly original productions of works by Berg, Mozart, and Shostakovich, which have graced such illustrious stages as the Metropolitan Opera, the English National Opera, the Théâtre National de l’Opéra (Paris), the Staatsoper (Berlin), and the Sydney Opera House, among many others.

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William Kentridge's SIBYL

University of California, Berkeley

Experience the Bay Area Premiere of William Kentridge's latest theatrical masterpiece, "The Great Yes, The Great No," presented by Cal Performances. This chamber opera, a co-commissioned work, is set to captivate audiences at Zellerbach Hall from March 14 to March 16, 2025, with performances scheduled for 8pm on March 14 and 15, and a matinee at 3pm on March 16.

Conceived and directed by the internationally acclaimed South African artist William Kentridge, in collaboration with theater maker Phala Ookeditse Phala and choral conductor and dancer Nhlanhla Mahlangu, this production takes you on a 1941 sea voyage from Marseille to Martinique. The narrative fictionalizes the historic wartime escape of notable figures such as the surrealist André Breton and the anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, alongside a distinguished cast including Aimé Césaire, Josephine Baker, and Frida Kahlo, among others.

Kentridge's unique blend of visual art and theater comes to life through animated drawings, video projection, masks, shadow play, and sculptural costumes, accompanied by lush South African choral music, dance, poetry, and an exploration of the relationship between surrealism and the anticolonial Négritude movement. This production promises a fantastical menagerie of thinkers, makers, and revolutionaries, merging surrealist imagery with real-life events in a breathtaking display of visual inventiveness.

Tickets for "The Great Yes, The Great No" start at $48, with season subscriptions available now and single tickets going on sale on August 6, noon. This event is a highlight of Cal Performances’ Illuminations: Fractured History programming for the 2024-25 season, offering a unique opportunity to witness Kentridge's genius and the power of collaborative art in addressing historical narratives and contemporary issues.

Support for this performance is generously provided by The Great Yes, The Great No Council for Kentridge, with lead sponsorship from Nadine Tang and major sponsorships from Bob Ellis, Janice, and Nicholas E. Brathwaite, among others. Commissioning support is provided by William and Sakurako Fisher, ensuring that this production not only entertains but also enriches and inspires.

Don't miss this unparalleled theatrical event that promises to be a highlight of the cultural season.

Thulani Chauke

Dancer

Events

Upcoming events

14 - 16 Mar, 2025

William Kentridge’s The Great Yes, The Great No · Cal Performances

Past events

17 - 19 Mar, 2023

William Kentridge's SIBYL · Cal Performances

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