MELANINA - RETURN TO ORIGIN to Open at Zingara in Century City

The Royal Countess Zingara will return to Century City in Cape Town by popular demand, this time with Melanina - Return to Origin, a brand new production set to open mid- October 2026. Tickets are officially on sale.

Conceptualised by Richard Griffin, Craig Leo and Valentina Leo, Melanina – Return to Origin is a new chapter for Zingara, offering a fresh perspective while weaving in familiar elements that audiences will recognise from previous shows. Drawing on old-world glamour and presented through a speakeasy lens, the production will take place within a Spiegeltent round, unfolding into an extraordinary journey amplified by electrifying performances, pulsating rhythm and uninhibited revelry.

Also, for the first time in 25 years, two Zingara productions will run simultaneously with the ever-evolving La Dolce Royal continuing at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg until February 2027, while the velvet curtain rises in the Mother City on Melanina - Return to Origin.

The cast showcasing out-of-this-world skill, artistry and flair hails from a pool of local and international talent. From a trio of Mongolian contortionists to Tanzanian acrobats, South African aerialists, a Canadian tightrope walker and a hair-hanging strength act from Mexico, the on-stage performances will be outstanding.

An evocative soundscape will be anchored by a 15-voice choir and a live band featuring Lelo Ramasimong on vocals, with a playlist inspired by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Josephine Baker. Overall, Zingarians can expect to be immersed in the heady environs of a forgotten nightclub somewhere between South America, New Orleans and Africa, where jazz becomes ritual and the past rises to the occasion.

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