Mohalenyane Phakela
THE French Ambassador to South Africa is set to grace the fourth annual Ouh La La Festival, starting on 22 November, with organisers saying this edition will be “bigger and better”.
The annual event, held the Alliance Française Garden, celebrates music in its various facets. This time around, the Francophone organisation is partnering with the Ministry of Tourism, Standard Lesotho Bank, Lesotho National Broadcasting Corporation and Letofe as it continues to grow in stature.
France Ambassador to South Africa and Lesotho, Elisabeth Barbier, will be in attendance in this year’s edition of the fete, according to Alliance Française’s Communications Secretary, Papali Monyake.
Speaking to the Weekender this week, Monyake said: “We feel very honoured that the ambassador will attend this edition of the festival.
“We will be awarding certificates to DELF graduates (a basic course in usage of the French language) on Friday, a day before the event, and the list of graduates includes her Majesty the Queen.”
The festival, which has been this time of the year since 2011, will feature local acts, Sotho Sounds and Afro-Jazz maestro Bhudaza, as well as foreign bands.
“Every year we try to change the event and bring a different taste,” she said.
“In the past years, we have had poets, vocalists and instrumentalists with undiscovered talent coming from the local schools. However, for the first time, we will be having a big band CAB and a Sesotho band from outside Maseru which is Malealea in Mafeteng.
“The festival is part of Alliance Française’s mission to promote both the French and Basotho culture hence the mixing of the lineup with both local and international artists from French-speaking countries in our different events.”
Unlike yesteryears, this edition will be an evening affair with musical performances from France and Lesotho in store for revelers, as well as the lighting of the Christmas tree at Ouh la la café.
The concert will be followed by a master workshop On Sunday from 10am to 5pm which will see more than 20 Basotho musicians and music industry people participate in a training facilitated by CAB, to discuss with them topics such as product promotion, authors’ rights, vocal techniques, and artist and sound engineer relationship among others.
