Entertainment
Ndlovu Choir brings African Christmas show to Johannesburg in December
Christmas in South Africa comes with sunshine, summer celebrations and a soundtrack of its own. This December, the Ndlovu Choir is ready to give the festive season an unmistakably African flavour with its new production, African Christmas.
Formerly known as the Ndlovu Youth Choir, the celebrated South African ensemble will bring its latest show to the Theatre of Marcellus at Emperors Palace from 11 to 13 December 2026.
Audiences can expect familiar Christmas classics reimagined through powerful African harmonies, energetic rhythms and captivating choreography.
Forget the snow, this is an African Christmas
Rather than recreating the traditional picture of a snowy Christmas, the production embraces the warmth and excitement of a South African December.
Think sunshine, dancing, family gatherings and the unmistakable spirit of Dezemba.
The choir promises a fresh take on beloved festive favourites, with songs including Taxi Jingle Bells, Pasop, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and the title track, African Christmas.
The latter offers an African interpretation of White Christmas, swapping winter landscapes for sunshine and baobab trees.
Alongside familiar carols, audiences can also look forward to South African summer hits, making the production a celebration of music, culture and the festive season.
From international stages to a Johannesburg homecoming
The announcement follows an impressive year for the choir, which recently made its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Its production, A Celebration of Africa, earned five-star reviews from several publications, including The Scotsman, The List and One4Review.
The group also performed in the Netherlands and London before sharing the stage with Queen drummer Roger Taylor during his UK tour.
One of the standout moments came at London’s Roundhouse on 28 September, when the choir joined Taylor for performances of A Beautiful World and Come On Summer (It’s Party Time).
They also performed their isiZulu interpretation of Queen’s legendary Bohemian Rhapsody, alongside Taylor and guitarist Sir Brian May.
Their collaboration has continued beyond the stage, with Come On Summer (It’s Party Time) featuring the choir’s vocals submitted for consideration in two categories for the 2027 Grammy Awards.
A celebration of South African musical identity
For founder and conductor Ralf Schmitt, bringing African Christmas to Johannesburg is an opportunity to celebrate with local audiences after an eventful international journey.
He described the year as particularly special, highlighting the choir’s international performances and its opportunity to collaborate with members of Queen.
Schmitt said the group was excited to return home and bring fresh energy to the festive season.
Known for blending contemporary international sounds with African musical traditions, the choir has built a global following through performances on America’s Got Talent, where it reached the finals in season 14 before finishing second on America’s Got Talent: All-Stars.
With African Christmas, the group is bringing that same signature energy to a celebration that feels distinctly South African.
Event details
- What: Ndlovu Choir – African Christmas
- Where: Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg
- When: Friday, 11 December to Sunday, 13 December 2026
- Tickets: Available through Webtickets.
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