Stella Chiweshe
© Melanie Marsman
Virginia Mukwesha
© Judith Schönenberger
Young woman with a black hat and yellow scarf in front of a blue background, smiling and relaxed.
Past events
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The Queen is dead – long live the Queen! In 2021, the great Zimbabwean musician and Berliner-by-choice Stella Rambisai Chiweshe had opened the first DURCHLÜFTEN Festival. In early 2023, she died at the age of 76. To kick off the 2023 festival, we commemorate the “Queen of the Mbira” with a musical tribute.

The supernatural sound of the mbira already enchanted the audience of the very first DURCHLÜFTEN festival in 2021. This year Virginia Mukwesha-Hetze the daughter of Stella Chiweshe will open the evening together with her mother’s students Stefan Franke, Camille Bokhobza and Fabiano Lima.

Virginia Mukwesha-Hetze has been playing mbira since she was 12 and has created her very own sound based on the musical heritage of her mother. Tradition and modernity are not opposites for Virginia Mukwesha, but rather cross-fertilize each other. For example, she fuses Jiti rhythms from South Africa with traditional Shona melodies or writes completely new pieces for mbira.

Video: Virginia Mukwesha-Pegumberere

Virginia Mukwesha on Bandcamp

Virginia Muskwesha-Hetze live in Vienna
Virginia Mukwesha
© Judith Schönenberger

Part of

Further Stage programme 13.07.2023

In the Humboldt Forum's foyer there is a 17 meter high media tower, called "cosmograph". It gives visitors comprehensive information about their visit and can transform into an art and light installation.
© SHF / David von Becker
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