The night also saw the opening of a Lion King Masks and Costumes Exhibition at the Consulate’s South African Cultural Centre.While becoming the third-longest running Broadway show in history, winning six Tony Awards in 1998 while Lebo M was part of the team that scooped the Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the 1994 Movie’s song Circle of Life/Nant’s Ingonyama.
The Tony-winning musical officially opened on Broadway in New York on November 13th, 1997 bringing to life, in theatre and on stage, masks and costumes now on display at the South African Cultural Centre, located inside the country’s Consulate General in Manhattan. It’s an exhibition space that opened last September as Consul General Dr Motumisi Tawana explained.
“No-one said to us, 25 years we will be here, will be in New York. And I’m still one of those that are still arriving at understanding the impact of our work. But this other side of it is that it also is pleasing to know that through this journey, we have changed lives in a very significant way.