NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                  18 April 2002

CITY HAILS SUCCESS OF AQUA OPERA AT THE WATERFRONT

The first Aqua Opera to be held in Africa – performed on a floating stage in the V&A Waterfront – has been hailed by the City of Cape Town and its people as a spectacular success that should become a regular attraction on the Cape of Great Events calendar.  

Letters to the local press have been unstinting in their praise for the Aqua Opera.  

Presented by Cape Town Opera, the Aqua Opera was a dramatic extravaganza performed under the stars and watched by thousands of people from vantage points all around the waterfront. 

The City of Cape Town’s Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Tourism and Property Management, Councillor Kent Morkel, described the Aqua Opera as a spectacular event unique to Cape Town. 

“Not only was the opera the perfect event to stage against the backdrop of Table Mountain, but it also gave our talented local artists the opportunity to show how far we have advanced in the world of opera,” he said. “It was an excellent development opportunity for our rising stars.” 

He said it was all about taking opera to the people. “Many ordinary Capetonians had the chance to see opera for the first time and to enjoy an important and enriching part of Cape culture,” he said. 

“At the same time staging the Aqua Opera helped to build the image of Cape Town as a world-class destination that has the expertise, the infrastructure and the natural beauty to make our events the perfect experience for everyone,” he said. 

Councillor Morkel described the opera as a “bold and ambitious” project that enhanced the city’s growing reputation as a top world venue for major events. 

“Major events are a critical part of our strategy to make Cape Town become known as a globally competitive and world-class city,” he said. “The Aqua Opera was a unique experience that takes Cape Town further along that road.” 

Penny Randall, Corporate Events Manager for the V&A Waterfront, described the event as “exceptionally successful.” She said the opera was fully booked out and restaurants and bars in the Waterfront were packed full of people. 

“We would like to look at the Aqua Opera as an annual event,” said Randall. 

The night before the opera opened to the public, the City of Cape Town hosted a special charity evening for about 2 000 ordinary Capetonians. “Many of the guests who had no transport were bused in to the Waterfront to enjoy their first taste of the opera in the most dramatic setting possible,” Councillor Morkel said.

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