Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire The Mandinka Epic

Wake niversity mston-Salem orth Carolina February 18, 2000 Wait Chapel ICM Artists, Ltd. presents Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire The Mandinka Epic

General Dir ector and Producer Lightin g Adaptation Mamadou Mansour Gueyc Jim Alexander

Artistic Dir ector Costume Designs Jean Pierre Leurs Oumou Sy, Jean Pierre Leurs, Mamadou Mansour Gueye Producer and Artistic Advisor Mamadou Mansour Gueye Singers (jelis/ griots) Maimouna Cissokho, Mouscouta Camara Crea tor and Artistic Director Jean Pierre Leurs Performers Mamadou Badji, ldtissa Diatta, Mohammed Composer and Lyricist Badji, Sai·dou Ba, Djibril Camara, Guimba Diallo Alain Godonou D.M. Zinsou, Charles Adam Leurs, Malang Diatta, Bourama Diatta, Fode Choreographers Moussa Camara, Mame Adama Gucye, Adama Oscar Aboubacar Camara Fall, Binetou Ly, Ramatoulaye Diallo, Marie Jean Pierre Leurs Diagne, Awa Cai"ssi,y Camara, Fatou Mbaye, Mamadou Diop Aminata Sonko, Dianke Diatta

Ballet Master Mu sicia ns Oscar Aboubacar Camara Aboubacar Camara (balafon), Ousmane Coulibaly (flute), Mady Kouyate (kora), Djibril Rehearsa l Director Sissoko (khalam) Sei"dyAbabbacar Gueye Percu ssionists Lighting Concept Dikory Seydi, Pape Assane Mbaye, Mademba Jean Pierre Leurs Diao, El Hadji Mbor Faye, Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ndong, Bakary Cisse

The Mandinka Epic United States ·four is presented in a~sociation with the Kennedy Center African Odyssey Program, ~ponS0red by American Express.

Exclusive Management ICM~ Artists, Ltd. 40 West 57 St reel Ns~wYt1rk,NY 10019 A nwmber of lCM I loldings Inc. The Story

ACTI (a brief history of events leading up to the Mali Kingdom of West Africa)

Scene I- (circa late 12th century) Early morning in a small Mandi.nka tribal village. The women begin their chores and the fishermen cast their nets. The villagers gather in the market square.

Scene II -An invasion of the village by the dance of the bolong instru- Sumanguru Kante, king of the Susu ments. Sumanguru demonstrates tribe, and his warriors. The villagers his magical power that makes him d1ant of Sumanguru's mystical and his warriors invulnerable to powers. Other villages join the fight iron -made arrow heads and bullets. and the entire kingdom breaks out in war. Ou r storyteller consoles Scene IV - (the arrival of the famous King Maghan, leader of the King Sund_iata Kcita approximately Mandinka tribe, te!Iing him to be 1240) \Nhile the Mandinka people brave and that the Mandinka are under the oppressive rule of people shal l overcome. Most of the Sumanguru, a young fragile son of royal clan is assassinated and King the royal clan has been hidden and Maghan is driven into exile. protected in a distant land. This royal son named Sundiata Keita Scene III - (early 13th century) A few becomes a remarkable athlete and years later, the Mandinka village is grows into a mighty hunter. Our under the rule of a puppet king storyte ller tells Sundiata to be a contro lled by Sumanguru. Although stron g leader and the people will Sumanguru is a tyrannt, he has a follow hirn. Sundiata leads a rebel- great appreciation for music and lion and rallies the Mandinka introd uces new instruments to the people to Eight Sumanguru. The Mandinka. A celebration takes place courageous Sundiata shoots and i1'l honor of Sumanguru featuring kills Sumanguru with an arrow ACT II Qatc13th century) tipped with the spur of a rooster. Under Sundfata's leadership, the Scene I - Soothsayers inform a woman Mandinka tribe gains dominance the future of her unborn child. They and he establi.shes the powerful predict he will be the next great Mali Kingdom. king of the Mandinka people. And so it happens she gives birth to a Scene V - (King Sundiata Keita's royal son named Abu Bakari. funeral approximately 1255) A As the child grows, he beloved by fearless warrior, King Sundiata is all the peopJe. killed in a battle. Without the lead- ership of Sundiata, there is much Scene II - Several years later, Abu anxiety and fear among the people. Bakari inherits the throne. He leads Battles ensue between the tribes for the Mandinka people and neigh- more power and the kingdom falls boring tribes back to peace and apart. Our storyteller tells the prosperity. Once again the Mali Mandinka people to be strong and Kingdom controls trade in West not to worry. Africa. Everyone joins the celeb ra- tion and honors the new king.

1 I Scene III - (the launch of 2000 ships Scene IV -After a long and treacher- approximately 1307) King Bakari ous journey, King Bakari's armada has always been attracted to the sea arr ives in the new world. The na- and its mystical nature. There are tives welcome the foreigners and rumors among the fisherman and show respect towards the foreign traders that there are other worlds leader. King Bakari believes he has beyond the great western sea. He found his destiny. He sends home envisions a vast voyage to seek new an emissary to announce his safe trade for his kingdom. As King arrival and his decision to stay. 13akari builds a massive fleet of ships, he consults the soothsayers Scene V - (a new Mandinka king and they confirm the belief of approximately 1312) A celebration distant unknown lands. To protect begins to honor the emissary's the MaU .Kingdom, .King Bakari arriva l home and the coronation of bestows power and authority to his King Kankan Musa. younger brother Kankan Musa with instructions that he is to assume the throne if King Bakari does not return. Despite the fears of the royal family and their advisors, King Bakari decides to embark on a voyage. The Mandinka Epic Spanning across several countries in West Africa, the Mandinka civilization dates back almost a thousand years to approximately 1075. The professional ora l historians (also known as jelis and griots) of today's Mandinka society have taken great care in preserving their histoiy and heritage through stor ies and songs passed down to each generation. The Ma1tdi11kaEpic (I.:Epopee Mandinque) is a compilation of songs and short stories that give a brief chronologi- cal history of the Mali Empire that was led by the Mandinka tribe. At the height of the Mali Empire (13'h- 151h centuries), the tribe controlled the Saharan trade industry by taxing and transporting lucrative goods . There was much prosperity during that time creating a rise in cultural and educational institutions.

The ManrfinkaEpic features costumes, songs, music and ritual dances that were extensively researched for this production. The songs are sung primarily in Wolof and Mandinka in various dialects. This production is a choreographica l, lyrical and musical homage to the Mandinka culture. Les Ballets d' Afrique Noire began working on the production in 1994 from a proposal by creator Jean Pierre Lcurs. The result is a collaborative effort over a six-month period by Leurs, Mansour Gueye, Mamadou Diop, a drama professor at the Nat ional Douta Seek Con- se1vato1y,and Oscar Aboubacar Camara, a fotrner dancer and choreographer of The National Dancers of Guinea. This is the first international tour of The MandinkaEpic.

Cast Sumanguru Kante Aboubacar Camara

Sundiata Keita Jdrissa Diatta

Abu Bakari Mamadou Badji

Kankan Musa Mohammed Badji

About the Company Les Ba11etsd' Afrique Noire is one of the oldest active folk music and dance companies in Senegal. Based in Dakar, the company was officially established on July 25, 1958. More than 150 artists are trained annually at the company's school and studio . In addition to a few guest artists, the performers in this production were selected from the school for their exceptional talent. Small ensembles for Les Ballets d' Afrique Noire tour in Europe, particularly in Spain, on hotel circuits. TheMn11di11kaEpic represents one of the largest productions created by the com- pany. This is Les Ballets d' Afrique Noire's first tour to the United States .

\ Ma madou Ma n so ur G ueye, a former member of the National Ballet of Senegal, has been an artist and administrator with Les Ballets d' Afrique Noire since its inception in 1958. For 20 years, Mr. Gueye supported himself working at the NOSOC, a commercial society in Dakar. Then in 1978 he devoted himself entirely to the performing arts. He founded Mansour Spec- tacles to produce and tour music and dance ensembles. Without government or private aid, Mr. Gueye has continued to promote Senegal's perfom1ing arts. Under his direction, Les Bal- lets d' Afrique Noire produced its largest production to date - The Mnndinka Epic.

Jean Pierre Leurs, has conceived and directed productions for both the National Ballet of Senegal and Les Ballets d' A£rique Noire. Fascinated with the hjsto1y of the Keitas and Mali court, he envisioned The Mandillkn Epicand proposed it to Mansour Gucye. Mr. Leur's latest production, Sarraouini11,is based on a Nigerian queen. Jn 1995, he received the Laureate of the Grand Prize for Scenic Arts from the President of Senega l.

Staff fo r Ballet d'Afrique N oire Administrator - EJ Hadji Mamadou Ndiaye Adjoint Rehearsal Director - Ibrahima Guisse Assistant - Magatte Seyc Gueye

US Tour Staff for Ballet d'Afriqu e N oire Artistic Consultant - MorThiam Company Manager - Richmond Davis Product ion Stage Manager - Jim Alexander

Staff for ICM Arti sts, Ltd. Chairman - Lee Lamont President & CEO - David V. Foster Executive Vice President & Director, Towing Division - Byron Gustafson Vice President & Director, Dance Division - Jane Hermann Vice Pres ident & General Manager, Touring Division - Leonard Stein Associate, Dance Division - Annette DiPerno

Special thanks to Kephra Bums for epic and historical background.

For Tour and Album Information call 212-556 -6 770 . VIENNA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA w/PHILIPPE ENTR EM0NT, Conductor and Piano Soloist. October 13, 1999.

PARAGON RAGTIME ORCHESTRA/CHARLIE CHAPLIN FILM FESTIVAL. November 20, 1999.

CHRISTOPHER P ARKENING, classical guitarist, and JUBILANT SYKES,

baritone. January 271 2000.

MANDINKA! WEST AFRICAN EPIC. February 18.

ANONYMOUS 4. Lnternation.ally renowned female vocal quartet in a program entitled "Music from the Year 1000." Thursday, March 30 at 8PM.

Wake Forest University expresses its deep appreciation to Mrs. Marion Secrest and her husband, the late Dr. Willis Secrest, for generously endowing the Secrest Artists Series.

Ushers this evening are members of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity.

The use of recording devices is not allowed.

Tickets for all Secrest Artists events are available without charge to all Wake Forest students, fa culty and staff. They are sold, indi vidually and by subscription, to the public.

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