Spend a special day with the women in your life

NELSPRUIT – There are already Mother’s Day advertisements in store windows, which mean you can start planning and saving up for a special day with the women in your life.

As always, Lowvelder and Sappi have the entertainment for the day sorted.

On May 11 the 14th annual Sappi/Lowvelder Mother’s Day concert will take place at the Lowveld Botanical Garden. Gates open at 09:00 and the formal program starts at 12:45. Entry will be free for all women and preschoolers, pensioners and primary schoolchildren will pay R20 and everyone not mentioned R60.

Tickets are available at Mica Nelspruit at the Crossing Centre, Meat Delights German Butchery at Riverside Junction and the Lowveld Botanical Garden. The proceeds of the event are donated to the Lowveld branch of the Botanical Society, which in turn uses the funds for the garden.

Bring some camping chairs, a blanket, fill your cooler bag with snacks and drinks and you’re set for the day. There will be food, beverage and wine stalls, if you don’t want to bother with a basket. Wine tasting, a kiddies corner, reptile show by Chris Hobkirk and a guided walk through the garden will also provide ample entertainment.

According to Sappi, between 4 000 and 5 500 people attend the concert every year. It has featured orchestras and performers like the Black Tie Ensemble, the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tukkies Youth Choir, Jannie Moolman and Loveline Madumo.

Getting to the venue won’t involve long walks in the blazing sun, as Citybug will provide a shuttle service between the parking areas to the venue in the garden.

This year’s musical entertainment will include the dazzling Nianell, Forté ( a group that blossomed out of the Black Tie Ensamble) and Thean Kotzé, who is a part of Ses Snare.

During the first half, Forté will perform with Thean Kotzé, while Nianell will take to the stage for the second half. Everyone will also perform a song together. Nianell will perform all her hits like “Who Painted the Moon” and “I hold the Sun”. Forté’s programme will include “Voshaarnooi”, “Canto della terra” and the “Circle of Life”.

Nianell is a platinum-seller vocalist who entertains and astounds audiences with her vocal gymnastics along four octaves. She also accompanies herself on piano and acoustic guitar. Since 2001, she has released nine albums and three DVDs. She has also collaborated with Romanz and Dozi on CDs.

Besides being one of the foremost Southern African artists, Nianell is also an astute business person, mother of triplets and an author. Her first book, Knowing Who I am, was released worldwide in November 2012, accompanied by a 16-track CD. It has also been translated into Afrikaans as Om te weet wie ek is and is a top-seller.

Forté is a group that formed from a BTE VO1SS (formerly the Black Tie Ensemble) production in 2012. Their motto, “How can we break the rules today?” signifies their drive and passion for the arts.

Forté has a busy performance schedule as they are guest artists for the University Orchestra of Pretoria. They were also invited by BTE VO1SS to be guest stars in a Mozart Opera Gala in Bloemfontein with the Free State Symphony Orchestra on April 20. The two ladies of the group starred in a special Easter performance of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, conducted by renowned Cape Town conductor, Alexander Fokkens on March 17.

They were part of last year’s Clover Aartklop Arts Festival in Potchefstroom with an Afrikaans production titled Forté: Kliphard Afrikaans. Thean Kotzé is part of Ses Snare and recently also starred in two State Theatre productions in Pretoria.

Take the stress out of planning and let Sappi and Lowvelder take care of this special day.