TaorminaFilmFest - 2001 - Cinema

She has sung in all the world, to the Pope at Vatican and to Nelson Mandela, she has toured all the theatres of the arctic circle and in 1998 she started a very long tong tour taking her through Africa, America and Europe. Miriam Makeba is the true "African Mama". Her voice is the most famous of the black continent. She is an ambassador of solidarity, a 'fighter' for peace. Her concert at the Greek Theatre is an Italian exclusivity on Taormina Arte's programme. On July 7th, it will close the nine days of the TaorminaFilmFest 2001, on the day dedicated to South Africa. At the same time she will open the curtains on the important performances of the summer that are programmed to run until the beginning of August. Miriam Makeba is sought after throughout the world. She tours endlessly, voicing social topics that she has close at heart.

Some of these cost her 30 years of exile from her hometown, Johannesburg, where she was born in 1932. Since then, this South African singer has never stopped. She started off with the Manhattan Brothers and has become a true "citizen of the world" even though she has been "adopted" by the United States. The exile, that tore her away from her country in 1960, has strengthened her soul warmed up by her voice. A voice defined by the critics "deep like the Indian Ocean and sparkling like the South African diamonds". This way Miriam has had one international success after an other, such as Pata Pata, sung in all the world. But she has never abandoned her passion the social themes, such as her endless fight against apartheid and for the women's rights. Her concert is planned at the Greek Theatre in Taormina on the last evening of the TaorminaFilmFest. She will perform with her band, who have been her faithful companions on all her concerts throughout the world. Miriam continues tirelessly to share her African rhythms and sounds in an everlasting tour.