RMB’s AfroSymphonic Extravaganza Goes Virtual in 2020 with Amanda Black, Jonathan Roxmouth, Siyabonga Maqungo

Even in the face of a global pandemic, the show must go on! RMB Starlight Classics has entertained and inspired fans in Johannesburg and Cape Town for over 20 years under starry South African skies – and this year, the event is heading into the online space and available to all, on the RMB website from today, Monday 5 October.

Virtually reimagined for the online space, this year’s event will deliver its signature mix of music, song and dance, showcasing performers from diverse backgrounds, collaborating to create AfroSymphonic musical magic.

RMB Starlight Classics 2020 sees performances recorded at the live event at Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West – before lockdown this year – supplemented with rare insights via interviews with the artists, who will discuss their careers, their performances and how these one-off collaborations came to life on Starlight Classics stage, with Maestro Richard Cock. Stars participating in the online extravaganza include:

Multi award-winning Afro-soul sensation, Amanda Black, singing her hit song Amazulu and Whitney Houston’s Olympic anthem One Moment in Time alongside Vuyisile Mdlophane, from The Voice South Africa;

Jonathan Roxmouth singing the hit song from the musical, The Phantom of the Opera, All I Ask of Youtogether with classical soprano, Nombulelo Yende and the much-loved Billy Joel sing-along Piano Man;

Classical tenor Siyabonga Maqungo singing Franz Lehár’s Freunde Das Leben and a medley from The Lion King;

Television personality Katlego Maboe teams up with Jonathan Roxmouth to sing Donny Hathaway’s A Song for You and with Bongani Khubeka for a unique crossover version of Don McLean’s Vincent (Starry, Starry Night);

Young social media singing sensation Likhey Booi performs South African music legends ‎Letta Mbulu & Caiphus Semenya’s hit Music In the Air and

The dynamic Mzansi Youth Choir give their own African twist to Miley Cyrus’ hit song The Climb.

The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Richard Cock.

“Many events have obviously been forced to head online in 2020, often at the expense of the experience which makes them so powerful in the first place,” says RMB’s Carolynne Waterhouse. “We think the fusion of live performance and online interaction that the team has put together for RMB Starlight Classics delivers the best of both worlds – the powerful performances fans have come to expect, with unique insights from the artists themselves. As much as we miss immersing ourselves in these one-off AfroSymphonic gems under starry skies, we believe the online concert experience will open up a new musical world to decades-long fans of the show, as well as a new generation of online concert-goers who can come together for the live events once more, in a post-pandemic world”.