Difference between revisions of "Aurora"

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== Aurora as name ==
 
== Aurora as name ==
  
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Name, deriving from the Latin term for "dawn" and referring to the goddess of the dawn in Roman mythology, used by two or three amateur theatre organizations in the Cape in the 19th century. Probably intended to reflect the cultural aspirations of the emerging South African Dutch/Afrikaans culture at the time.
  
Name, deriving from the Latin term for "dawn" and referring to the goddess of the dawn in Roman mythology, used by two or three amateur theatre organizations in the Cape in the 19th century. Probably intended to reflect the cultural aspirations of the emerging South African Dutch/Afrikaans culture at the time.
 
  
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== [[Aurora]], Paarl (1862-18**) ==
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An amateur theatrical society founded in Paarl by members of "Die [[Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners]]", it was intended to help to establish and promote the [[Dutch]] language and culture in the face of the Anglicisation policies of the British government. Among its members were [[S.J. du Toit]], [[D.F du Toit]] ("Oom Lokomotief"),  ***.
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It performed the [[Dutch]] plays  ''[[Rocco]]'' by A. Wijnstok and [[Schijn Bedriegt]] ("appearances deceive") by "[[Neef Paul]]", along with recitals of lyric poetry,  as its first production in August 1862.
  
== Aurora, Paarl (1862-18**) ==
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During its existence it incidentally also produced some of the earliest [[Afrikaans]] plays, notably the first, a translation of ''[[De Jonge Kunstschilder]]'' by ***, directed by "[[Oom Lokomotief]]" and performed in Paarl and Montagu, as well as ***.
  
An amateur theatrical society founded in Paarl by members of "Die [[Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners]]" and was intended to establish and promote Dutch in the face of the Anglicisation policies. It presented Rocco by A. Wijnstok and Schijn bedriegt by "Neef Paul", along with recitals of lyric poetry,  as its first production in August 1862. Among its members were S.J. du Toit, D.F ("Oom Lokomotief") du Toit, ***. During its existence it incidentally also produced some of the earliest Afrikaans plays, notably the first, a translation of De Jonge Kunstschilder by ***, directed by "Oom Lokomotief" and performed in Paarl and Montagu, as well as ***. [**EXPAND**]
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'''[**EXPAND**]'''
  
== Aurora, Cape Town (1866-1914)  ==
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== [[Aurora]], Cape Town (1866-1914)  ==
 
   
 
   
  
 
=== History ===
 
=== History ===
  
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Dutch-language  (“rederykerskamer *?*) active in the Cape between 1862 and 1890.
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Aurora was the second formal oratory club or "[[Rederijkerskamer]]"  to be opened in the Cape Province (after [[Thespis]]), it was established on 4 October 1866, in Cape Town, under the motto ''[[Onvermoeide vlijt komt alles te boven]]'' ("Untiring hard work overcomes everything"). Founded as a closed society formed by leading [[Dutch]] and [[Cape-Dutch]] families, it included such useful performers as [[J. Combrink]], [[W. Combrink]], [[J.M. Belinfante]], [[D.H du Toit]] and [[H.W. Teengs]]. Teengs was also a playwright. Perhaps its best known member was to be actor and playwright  [[Melt Brink]],  who soon became its secretary and guiding light, remaining in this position till 1914.
  
The second formal  "Rederijkerskamer"  to be opened in the Cape Province (after [[Thespis]]). Established on 4 October 1866, in Cape Town, under the motto ''[[Onvermoeide vlijt komt alles te boven]]'' ("Untiring hard work overcomes everything"). Founded as a closed society formed by leading Dutch and and Cape-Dutch families, and including such useful performers as J. Combrink, W. Combrink, J.M. Belinfante, D.H du Toit and H.W. Teengs. Teengs was also a playwright. Perhaps its best known member was actor and playwright  Melt Brink,  who soon became its secretary and guiding light till 1914. Dutch-language oratory club (“rederykerskamer *?*) active in the Cape between 1862 and 1890. Although initially loyal to the British authorities, it steadily became a standard-bearer for the emergent Dutch-Afrikaans nationalism through certain important members like[[ Melt Brink]]. Temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**), it was resuscitated afterwards under the guidance of Brink and lasted till 1914. However, its Dutch orientation gradually alienated it from the mainstream Afrikaans theatre. Aurora was honoured by the Dutch government as was Brink in 1873.  
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Although initially loyal to the British authorities, it steadily became a standard-bearer for the emergent [[Dutch-Afrikaans]] nationalism.
 +
 
 +
[[Aurora]] was temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("[[Eerste Vryheidsoorlog]]" - 1888-18**) and finally became defunct sometime before 1909. The name was then apparently resuscitated as the name adopted for the theatre division of the [[Dutch]] cultural organisation Het [[Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond]], led by [[Melt Brink]]. In this form it lasted till 1914.
 +
 
 +
Temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**), it was resuscitated afterwards under the guidance of Brink and lasted till 1914. However, its [[Dutch]] orientation gradually alienated it from the mainstream [[Afrikaans]] theatre.  
 +
 
 +
[[Aurora]] and [[Melt Brink]] were both honoured for their contribution to [[Dutch]] culture by the [[Dutch]] government in 1873.  
  
 
=== Productions ===
 
=== Productions ===
  
It followed the Dutch pattern of concentrating on poetry and plays under the guidance of professional teachers. Initially they tended to fragments from plays and poems, but after Brink took over, they tended to performances of compelte works. In addition to the works of a range of Dutch poets and playwrights, the society gradually also offered locally written plays, beginning with the works of H.W. Teengs (starting with the tragedy  Willem Nel and the afterpiece  Opstand 1815 in 1868) and going on to produce a large number of Melt Brink's plays over the years. In his case they started with his first Dutch comedy, Het Origineele Testament at the Germania Hall on 29 April 1869 and he eventually wrote 14 one-act Cape Dutch plays for them, ending with De Offers der Vrijheid of De Slagers van Ghent in 1877.  Aurora never had its own premises, but performed in a variety of halls and theatres in and around Cape Town, including the Liedertafel Germania (or Germania Hall?*, cnr Hout and Loop streets), the Oddfellows Hall (Plein Street), and "de zaal van den Heer Hutchinson" (Hutchinson's Hall, Nieuw Street). As a result productions were simply and portably done, and the authors had to bear this in mind. Initially no women were allowed to be members and men played the female parts, but from 11 July 1876 onwards (when a woman finally appeared in a production, Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall), women became part of the association. [***CHECK MET BOSMAN/NIENABER**] AURORA.  
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[[Aurora]] followed the [[Dutch]] pattern of concentrating on poetry and plays under the guidance of professional teachers. Initially they tended to fragments from plays and poems by a range of [[Dutch]] poets and playwrights, but after Brink took over, they began to perform complete works as well, gradually also performing plays by local authors such as [[H.W. Teengs]] and [[Melt Brink]].  
 +
 
 +
[[Aurora]] never had its own premises, but performed in a variety of halls and theatres in and around Cape Town, including the [[Liedertafel Germania]] (or [[Germania Hall]]), cnr Hout and Loop streets, the [[Oddfellows Hall]] in Plein Street, and "de zaal van den Heer Hutchinson" ([[Hutchinson's Hall]]) in Nieuw Street. As a result productions were simply and portably done, and the authors had to bear this in mind. Initially no women were allowed to be members and men played the female parts, but from 11 July 1876 onwards (when a woman finally appeared in a production, Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall), women became part of the association.
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'''Some performances:'''
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1868: ''[[Willem Nel]]'' and the afterpiece  ''[[Opstand 1815]]'' , both by Teengs.
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 +
1869: ''[[Het Origineele Testament]]'' (Melt Brink) at the [[Germania Hall]] on 29 April
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1876: ''[[Het Ijzerin]]'', at the [[Oddfellows Hall]] on 11 July.
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1877: ''[[De Offers der Vrijheid of De Slagers van Ghent]]'' in 1877
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'''[***CHECK BOSMAN/NIENABER**] AURORA.'''
  
== Aurora and Het Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond, Cape Town ==
 
 
The second [[Aurora]] became defunct sometime before 1909, and was then  apparently resuscitated under the guidance of [[Melt Brink]],  the name being adopted for the theatre division of the Dutch cultural organisation Het [[Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond]]. In this form it lasted till 1914. '''[However, information here is uncertain. '''CHECK''']'''
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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Fletcher, 1994
 
Fletcher, 1994
  
== For more information ==
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Revision as of 05:17, 12 November 2016

Aurora as name

Name, deriving from the Latin term for "dawn" and referring to the goddess of the dawn in Roman mythology, used by two or three amateur theatre organizations in the Cape in the 19th century. Probably intended to reflect the cultural aspirations of the emerging South African Dutch/Afrikaans culture at the time.


Aurora, Paarl (1862-18**)

An amateur theatrical society founded in Paarl by members of "Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners", it was intended to help to establish and promote the Dutch language and culture in the face of the Anglicisation policies of the British government. Among its members were S.J. du Toit, D.F du Toit ("Oom Lokomotief"), ***.

It performed the Dutch plays Rocco by A. Wijnstok and Schijn Bedriegt ("appearances deceive") by "Neef Paul", along with recitals of lyric poetry, as its first production in August 1862.

During its existence it incidentally also produced some of the earliest Afrikaans plays, notably the first, a translation of De Jonge Kunstschilder by ***, directed by "Oom Lokomotief" and performed in Paarl and Montagu, as well as ***.

[**EXPAND**]

Aurora, Cape Town (1866-1914)

History

Dutch-language (“rederykerskamer *?*) active in the Cape between 1862 and 1890. Aurora was the second formal oratory club or "Rederijkerskamer" to be opened in the Cape Province (after Thespis), it was established on 4 October 1866, in Cape Town, under the motto Onvermoeide vlijt komt alles te boven ("Untiring hard work overcomes everything"). Founded as a closed society formed by leading Dutch and Cape-Dutch families, it included such useful performers as J. Combrink, W. Combrink, J.M. Belinfante, D.H du Toit and H.W. Teengs. Teengs was also a playwright. Perhaps its best known member was to be actor and playwright Melt Brink, who soon became its secretary and guiding light, remaining in this position till 1914.

Although initially loyal to the British authorities, it steadily became a standard-bearer for the emergent Dutch-Afrikaans nationalism.

Aurora was temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**) and finally became defunct sometime before 1909. The name was then apparently resuscitated as the name adopted for the theatre division of the Dutch cultural organisation Het Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond, led by Melt Brink. In this form it lasted till 1914.

Temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**), it was resuscitated afterwards under the guidance of Brink and lasted till 1914. However, its Dutch orientation gradually alienated it from the mainstream Afrikaans theatre.

Aurora and Melt Brink were both honoured for their contribution to Dutch culture by the Dutch government in 1873.

Productions

Aurora followed the Dutch pattern of concentrating on poetry and plays under the guidance of professional teachers. Initially they tended to fragments from plays and poems by a range of Dutch poets and playwrights, but after Brink took over, they began to perform complete works as well, gradually also performing plays by local authors such as H.W. Teengs and Melt Brink.

Aurora never had its own premises, but performed in a variety of halls and theatres in and around Cape Town, including the Liedertafel Germania (or Germania Hall), cnr Hout and Loop streets, the Oddfellows Hall in Plein Street, and "de zaal van den Heer Hutchinson" (Hutchinson's Hall) in Nieuw Street. As a result productions were simply and portably done, and the authors had to bear this in mind. Initially no women were allowed to be members and men played the female parts, but from 11 July 1876 onwards (when a woman finally appeared in a production, Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall), women became part of the association.

Some performances:


1868: Willem Nel and the afterpiece Opstand 1815 , both by Teengs.

1869: Het Origineele Testament (Melt Brink) at the Germania Hall on 29 April

1876: Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall on 11 July.

1877: De Offers der Vrijheid of De Slagers van Ghent in 1877


[***CHECK BOSMAN/NIENABER**] AURORA.


Sources

Du Toit, 1988;

Fletcher, 1994



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