Sarafina!

musical by Ngema

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July 15, 2026

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Sarafina! is a musical by South African playwright, composer, and director Mbongeni Ngema. It premiered in 1987 and became an international success. The musical tells the story of Sarafina, a black teenager in South Africa. Initially dreaming of stardom, she is inspired by a teacher to become a revolutionary during the 1976 Soweto student uprisings against apartheid. The score, co-written by Ngema and Hugh Masekela, features mbaqanga, a blend of traditional South African music with American gospel, jazz, and rock. A film adaptation was released in 1992.12

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Mbongeni Ngema
…international triumph with the musical Sarafina! (1987). The title character is a black teenager who at first wants to become a superstar. Instead, inspired by a teacher, she becomes a revolutionary in the 1976 student uprisings in Soweto. Ngema and Hugh Masekela wrote the score, which features mbaqanga, the fusion…
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…international triumph with the musical Sarafina! (1987). The title character is a black teenager who at first wants to become a superstar. Instead, inspired by a teacher, she becomes a revolutionary in the 1976 student uprisings in Soweto. Ngema and Hugh Masekela wrote the score, which features mbaqanga, the fusion…
Read More