A journey of dance and literature in the heart of South Africa, inspired by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. A story from the past, a story that still lives in the present and one that will continue to be a staple in the history of mankind for centuries to come.

When one of the most important masterpieces of Italian literature meets the art of dance and the beauty of some of the South African languages, the only possible outcome is an experience that will leave you questioning the secrets of the afterlife.  To celebrate the Italian poet Dante Alighieri's famous masterpiece "The Divine Comedy", Joburg Ballet and Italian Institute of Culture of Pretoria have collaborated to create a dance performance that takes the audience on a journey through the first realm of the great beyond.

For the first time since it was written in 1321, parts of the poem have been translated into the South African languages of Zulu, Sesotho, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English. This extraordinary event has been the inspiration behind the creation of this ballet and it represents one of its key elements, together with the wonderful score by Hans Zimmer "The Gladiator", which accompanies the story beautifully.

The journey of our protagonist, Dante, is narrated through music, dance and spoken word, and it takes us among some of the most iconic sections of the poem, in a scenery filled with desolation and eternal despair. You will experience the concept of Hell through the eyes of an Italian poet from the XIV century as he ventures within the depths of eternal damnation, meeting historical and mythical characters from centuries long gone, listening to their stories of life and death and taking us face to face with Lucifer himself.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Culture of Pretoria and the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre for Creative Arts and Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.  Tickets are free and can be booked via the following link:

https://protect-za.mimecast.com/s/pSxXCP1JWRtqV74qHzUm7N?domain=eventbrite.com