A show of sanity
March 8th 2009 00:48
Susan and Morgan Tsvangirai
The week has had its share of ugliness. On Orble we have confronted the themes of racism and intolerance, and the people who foster it for selfish motives. And yesterday we learned of fresh tragedy in Zimbabwe, with the news that Susan Tsvangirai, wife of the country's face of hope, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has died in car accident.
Mr Tsvangirai and his wife were travelling to a political rally when their vehicle was hit by the trailer of a truck travelling in the opposite direction. Mrs Tsvangirai, who was on the side of the car hit by the trailer, was killed. Mr Tsvangirai was "slightly hurt".
They had been married 33 years and had six children. Mrs Tsvangirai was not politically active but was constantly seen by her husband's side at public functions and has been described as his pillar of strength and the "mother of the party".
Foul play is suspected. If Robert Mugabe, who recently agreed to a power-sharing arrangement with Mr Tsvangirai after failing to hold power in a national election which he turned into a farce, is not behind the death of Susan Tsvangirai, it would be a surprise. And, in a grimly ironic way, it would make little difference. Mugabe's long history of murder and torture is indisputable.
This morning, as I am still digesting all this, my wife is preparing to do something which should be ordinary but which suddenly seems extraordinary.
She and a substantial number of other people are going to spend all day rehearsing for a performance this evening of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Gondoliers. The rehearsal today will be the only rehearsal, meaning a lot of people, some of whom know the music and some of whom do not, will be gathering to sing and learn and prepare, all in a few hours, for a full-scale operatic performance this evening.
It's a fairly new concept but a popular one. An orchestra and some professionals who will sing the major roles will come for the performance, as will an audience which will have moderate expectations of the quality and high expectations of the fun factor.
All these people choosing to spend a healthy slice of their weekend leisure time trying to learn a major musical work which they will then perform passably at best strikes me as utterly, beautifully, wonderfully, comfortingly sane.
It will be hard work, but I have no doubt that when my wife arrives home late tonight, exhausted after the mental and physical strain of her extraordinary day, she will have a smile a mile wide.
The honest pleasure of real life. If only Robert Mugabe understood what he is missing.
bbc.co.uk, news.com.au; image: Agence France Presse
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Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Have you ever seen "As it is in Heaven", a Swedish movie about a choir? If you haven't , I can suggest that you rent the DVD. It's all about life and singing.
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Money Whither
Details are still murky, but several reasons for suspicion of foul play are being reported, including confiscation by police of pictures and notes being taken by an accident investigation team which got to the crash site quickly.
I saw As it is in Heaven just a few weeks ago. Weepingly wonderful.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
one day fairness and tolerance will be virtues and those who hold them in abundance will pop up to replace each other at a quicker rate than the tin-pot dictators and bigots!
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Money Whither
When are you going into politics?