News

The team behind "u-Carmen eKhayelitsha" - a modern remake of Georges Bizet's classic 1875 opera "Carmen," shot entirely in Xhosa (one of South Africa's official languages), with an all-black South African cast, combining both music from the original opera with traditional music - have done a similar thing with Giacomo Puccini’s classic 1896 opera, "La Boheme." Directed by Mark Dornford-May, and starring Pauline Malefane (who also starred in "u-Carmen eKhayelitsha"), the upcoming "La Boheme" adaptation is titled "Breathe – Umphefumlo." The film was shot in Khayelitsha...

Experience the thrill of watching opera from the Royal Opera House in the comfort of the Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Boulevard, in The Loop, St. Louis, Mo, 63130) thanks to the ‘Royal Opera House at The Tivoli Theater’ series

We Are Movie Geeks has teamed up with the Tivoli Theater for a special giveaway! We have five pairs of tickets (a $30 value) for the first installment of this year’s ‘Royal Opera House at The Tivoli Theater’ which will be La Boheme The date is next Sunday June 28th and the show begins at Noon.

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell us why you want free tickets – it’s so easy! We’ll contact the winners in a few days. Good luck!

These operas are shown on the Tivoli’s big screen in their entirety, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the Royal Opera House and these critically acclaimed performances.

★★★★☆ Mark Dornford-May won Berlin's Golden Bear in 2005 for U-Carmen, his adaptation of Bizet's opera. He obviously hopes for similar success with his latest venture, Breathe Umphefumlo (2015), which transports Puccini's opera La Boheme from 19th century Paris to a modern-day township in South Africa. Lungelo (Mhlekazi Mosiea) meets Mimi (Busisiwe Ngejane) at university. She's a botany student while he's an aspiring poet and studying to be a journalist. They meet on campus in mid-summer. The students are engaged in preparations for the public holiday commemorating the 16 June massacre of Soweto schoolchildren in 1976. A concert is planned and singer Zoleka (Pauline Malefane) is due to appear.

Exclusive: Partners behind Breathe Umphefumlo reteaming on new slate of films.

The partners behind Berlinale Special world premiere Breathe Umphefumlo – Cape Town, South Africa-based Isango Ensemble, Advantage Entertainment, and the UK’s Film & Music Entertainment (F&Me) – are reteaming on a slate of new films starting with an adaptation of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera to shoot in Cape Town in August.

Isango will transport Gay’s 1728 satire/morality play to the jazzy underworld of 1950s Cape Town. Mark Dornford-May, who won the Golden Bear with U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, is again directing.

Dornford-May said, “The Beggar’s Opera is a savagely funny satire on money, morals and marriage — as relevant and biting today as it was when first written. Setting the film in post war colonial Cape Town will give it a visual style and a music flair that will inform the original – and take it further.”

“We have a number of other film ideas in development...

2 pick ups you should be aware of, as each takes a step closer towards wide commercial release... First, Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide rights to Mark Dornford-May’s "Breathe Umphefumlo," which is set to premiere Out Of Competition at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival. The South African film, which stars Pauline Malefane, is a modern remake of Giacomo Puccini’s classic 1896 opera, "La Boheme," in Xhosa (one of South Africa's official languages), with an all-black South African cast, combining both music from the original opera with traditional music. It follows previous remakes by the same production unit and cast, of...

Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide rights outside South Africa to Mark Dornford-May’s Breathe Umphefumlo, which will premiere Out Of Competition at the upcoming Berlin film festival.

The film transports Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme to contemporary South Africa and includes songs in Xhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa.

Dornford-May previously directed U-Carmen, which gave the same treatment to Bizet’s Carmen and won Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2005.

Produced by South Africa’s Advantage Entertainment and Isango Ensemble and the UK’s Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me), the film is written by Dornford-May and Pauline Malefane with musical direction by Mandisi Dyantyis.

The story follows a group of artists, writers and actors struggling to survive in the township of Khayelitsha, which has high rates of tuberculosis, in common with 19th Century Paris, the original setting of La Boheme.

The film is set for theatrical release in South Africa later this year...

South African adaptation of Puccini’s opera directed by Berlinale Golden Bear winner Mark Dornford May.

Shooting has wrapped in Stellenbosch, South Africa on a contemporary adaptation of Puccini’s La Boheme.

Breathe – Umphefumlo is directed by Mark Dornford May and moves the story from its usual Parisian setting to modern South Africa. It centres on star crossed lovers Mimi (Busisiwe Ngejane) and Lungelo (Mhlekazi Mosiea).

The film is a partnership between South Africa’s Isango Advantage, the UK’s Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me) and Germany’s Arte/Propeller Film. Support comes from Desmond and Leah Tutu’s Legacy Foundation

Dornford May won the Berlinale Golden Bear in 2005 with U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, a modern take on Bizet’s Carmen also set in South Africa.

Dornford May adapted this new approach to La Boheme with Pauline Malefane, who also handled the musical direction with Mandisi Dyantis. The score will be played by an orchestra of marimbas and steel...

Exclusive: South African adaptation of La Boheme to be directed by Berlinale Golden Bear winner Mark Dornford May and supported by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Shooting has begun this week in Stellenbosch, South Africa on a contemporary adaptation of Puccini’s La Boheme.

Breathe – Umphefumlo is directed by Mark Dornford May and moves the story from its usual Parisian setting to modern South Africa. It centres on star crossed lovers Mimi (Busisiwe Ngejane) and Lungelo (Mhlekazi Mosiea).

Dornford May won the Berlinale Golden Bear in 2005 with U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, a modern take on Bizet’s Carmen also set in South Africa.

The director said: “La Boheme is a glittering piece of musical history but it also contains a searing emotional cry for understanding and action about the brutal realities of the everyday life of the poor and their struggle for shelter, food and medicine. This is what we want to bring to the screen in Breathe – Umphefumlo.”

Dornford May has...