Kersfees op Merweville en Onseepkans

If the Rolling Stones can stroll their wrinkly bones around the sports stadia of the First World to celebrate 50 years of failing to get satisfaction, then surely Zanne Stapelberg (soprano), Hanneli Rupert (mezzo soprano), Albie van Schalkwyk (piano) and Johann Nel (reader) can take their Kersfees op La Motte show on tour to celebrate the festive season? Hanneli’s husband Hein Koegelenberg offered his services as tour manager and suggested destinations such as Riebeek-Wes (where brother in law Johann Rupert has one of his best vineyards on Riebeek River – if his current vineyards can deliver a 95/100 rating in Wine Spectator, the sky’s the limit when Riebeek’s River kicks in), Merweville (“maar sy vrou wil nie” as Hein joked) and Onseepkans on which Albie commented “no chance of soap at all, there.”  The highlight of the Christmas concert was Stille Nag, Heilige Nag sung in German by Hanneli, English by Zanne and Afrikaans by the audience.  The festive season was sung in on a high note last night on La Motte.

Zanne was first to leave the post-concert degustation dinner at Pierneef à la Motte, as she was singing at a church in La Rochelle this morning – from one Huguenot destination to another – in Bellville.  Perhaps another date for the platteland tour?

Hanneli had us all in stitches when she related the anecdote of children hanging from the unusual crockery chandeliers of Ellalou O’Meara in Pierneef à la Motte (below).  Seems that some mother lifted a child for a closer look at the suspended plates and the child grabbed one and was added to the installation.  “The fishing gut has a breaking strain of 70 Kg” commented Hein, who if he carries on with his mountain biking will be able to hang from the ceiling too, this time next year.