Festivals
National Arts Festival
The 2025 National Arts Festival in Makhanda once again promises an energetic programme. One of the many highlights is the triple-bill SALT, which includes a performance of George Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, staged for Cape Ballet Africa by Diana White of the George Balanchine Trust. UK company Action Hero also brings the acclaimed experimental work The Talent to this year’s festival after having won an Off West End Award for Best Performance. Athol Fugard will be remembered through the staging of two plays, both co-written by John Kani and Winston Ntshona: The Island and Sizwe Banzi Is Dead.
Dates: 26 June - 6 July
Venues: Across Makhanda
Hermanus FynArts Festival
This celebration of creativity in all its forms — visual, musical, literary, culinary, and performance — is set in Hermanus in the Western Cape. The opening concert features Timothy Moloi, Magdalene Minnaar, and Sima Mashazi, while Mary Sibande is the festival artist. In addition to a variety of performances, there will also be wine tastings, culinary sessions, talks, workshops, and exhibitions.
Dates: 6-16 June
Venues: Across Hermanus
Tickets: From R220
hermanusfynarts.co.za webtickets.co.za
Art
Don’t miss:
- Lorienne Lotz’s “Bearing Witness” solo show at Everard Read London until 28 June
- Yinka Shonibare’s “Earth Pictures” exhibition at Goodman Gallery Joburg from 5 June to 24 July
- “To Protect These Fragile Things” — a group exhibition by Clive van den Berg, William Kentridge, Sue Williamson, Remy Jungerman, Walter Oltmann, Laura Lima, and Lindokuhle Sobekwa at Goodman Gallery, Cape Town, until 26 June
- Kamogelo Machaba and Hazel Mphande’s “Strand by Strand” show at Berman Contemporary until 22 June
- Guy Tillim’s solo exhibition “Lusochroma” at Stevenson in Cape Town until 21 June
- Paul Weinberg’s retrospective “Between the Cracks” at Wits Art Museum until 26 July
Music
Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s winter season begins this month with conductor Koji Kawamoto’s debut performance in South Africa in Grieg’s Piano Concerto, Op. 16 in A minor, featuring pianist Aleksandra Świgut. The full programme is available at jpo.co.za
Dates: 5-26 June
Venue: Linder Auditorium, Joburg
Tickets: From R180
Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra
Winter in the Western Cape sees the eminent conductor Thomas Sanderling joining the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s programme in an all-Brahms concert and a double concerto by Mozart. The winter season ends with a special version of Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore, conducted by Jeremy Silver and featuring Opera UCT soloists and the CPO Afri-Arts Choir.
Dates: 12-26 June
Venue: Cape Town City Hall
Tickets: R175-R400
