ArtsEmerson Presents NEHANDA

ArtsEmerson, Boston's leading presenter of contemporary world theater and film and the professional presenting and producing organization of Emerson College, is thrilled to present Nehanda by the visionary creative artist/performer nora chipaumire. Nehanda will run five performances only from May 17 - 21, 2023 at the Emerson Paramount Center Robert J. Orchard Stage.

Nehanda explores the legend of Nehanda, a powerful spirit venerated by the Shona people-native of Zimbabwe and central Mozambique-who inhabits only women. Using the 1896 case "Regina v NIANDA" to inform the libretto, this new concert experience features elements of opera and instruments that wholly subvert the form-turntables, Ngoma drums, and samples of field recordings. With the electric charge of a political rally and the power of a ritual, Nehanda weaves together a powerful portrait of anti-colonial resistance.

nora chipaumire once described Nehanda as "a Zimbabwean Joan of Arc." The New Yorker describes chipaumire's prior performances as "distinctly punk, the Zimbabwean-born choreographer channels three musical heroes: Patti Smith, Grace Jones, and Rit Nzele."

"Our audiences are going to fall in love with the work of visionary creator and performer nora chipaumire," says ArtsEmerson Executive Director David C. Howse. "Nehanda is an immersive and powerful musical experience that was inspired by nora's revolutionary, fearless thinking about the brutal legacy of colonization in the artist's native country of Zimbabwe-a topic that so many countries, including here in the United States, are still grappling with today."

"For my entire life I have been in search of justice and Nehanda is the spirit of justice," says nora chipaumire. "Whenever we [the performers] sit with the public in any city, including Boston, that is success."

Tickets for Nehanda may be purchased 24/7 at ArtsEmerson.org, or by calling 617-824-8400 (Tue-Sat from 12:00PM ET - 6:00PM ET). The Paramount Center Box Office (559 Washington Street, Boston) is open for walk-up service Thu-Sat from Noon - 6:00 PM ET. Tickets start at $25. Groups of 10+ attending a performance save up to 30%.

Thanks to generous support from Rockland Trust, a limited number of $10 Mobile Rush tickets will be available at 10:00 AM ET each performance day on a first-come, first-served basis, exclusively through the TodayTix mobile app. For more information, please click on "General Public'' when you visit ArtsEmerson's Offers web page.

A limited number of on-stage spots are now on sale for all performances of Nehanda. These limited spots are only $20 and fully accessible to all.

The Friday, May 19 evening performance will feature a post-show discussion with Dr. Joyce Hope Scott, Clinical Professor, African American Studies, Boston University on the topic of reparations and post-colonization in Africa.

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