Dancing with time: Inside Gregory Maqoma’s groundbreaking new opera

Internationally revered choreographer Gregory Maqoma is set to dazzle audiences once again with the world premiere of his latest production, Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time.

Returning to the Baxter Theatre for a limited season from 18 to 21 February 2026, this groundbreaking dance opera promises to be a poetic and visceral exploration of existence itself.

Following the triumphant success of Exit/Exist in 2023 and Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero in 2024, Maqoma continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance. In a recent interview with Eyewitness News, Maqoma explained that the decision to label this work a "dance opera" was intentional.

"Contemporary dance often privileges abstraction, which I love, but in this work, I needed architecture," Maqoma told EWN. "I needed voice, breath, text, music, and movement to collide in real time."

A CONFRONTATION WITH TIME
Genesis is described by Maqoma as a confrontation with time—its violence, its grace, and its invitation to begin again. The narrative draws inspiration from the revolutionary ideas of Steve Biko and Frantz Fanon, interrogating what it means to reclaim a body shaped by oppression.

"Time in Genesis is not linear; it is cyclical and bruising," Maqoma explained to EWN. "Grace is not softness; it is resilience, it is a call for Biko, for Fanon, and for everyone who dares to care about the past, the present, and the future. The choreography oscillates between these states, collision and recovery."

He added, "Beginning again does not mean starting over unchanged. It means returning altered."

A STAR-STUDDED COLLABORATION
True to his collaborative vision, Maqoma has assembled an acclaimed creative team to bring this vision to life. The production features a rich live musical landscape performed by Mthwakazi Chosi, Annalyzer, Yogin Sulaphin, and Xolilisle Bongwana, under the musical direction of Nhlanhla Mahangu.

Regarding the live music, Maqoma noted, "Live music changes everything... Because the singers are physically present, the exchange becomes immediate. It keeps the work alive, unstable in the best way."

The libretto, penned by celebrated writer Karthika Nair, anchors the narrative in lyricism, while costumes by Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee Fashion frame the dancers in sculptural, architectural lines.

"Visceral work needs a visual world that does not compete with it, but deepens its resonance," said Maqoma. "Jacques understands this architecture of movement in his designs."

GRATITUDE AND VISION
Reflecting on the support behind the production, Maqoma expressed deep gratitude to The Baxter.

"The Baxter has long been more than a venue in my journey; it has been a partner in my becoming as a dancer and choreographer," he told EWN. "Their support allows me to confront time itself in Genesis: its violence, its grace, and its invitation to begin again."

EXPERIENCE GENESIS LIVE
Audiences are invited to experience the genesis of a new era in performance art at The Baxter Theatre Centre.

Cape Town: The Baxter Theatre, 18 – 21 February 2026.

Johannesburg: Joburg Theatre, 19 – 22 March 2026.