Petersen's death leaves 'giant void'
2006-12-17 14:34
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Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Sunday sent its condolences to Taliep Petersen's family.
The award-winning theatre, music and television personality was killed on Saturday night in an apparent robbery at his Athlone home.
"Petersen has made an enormous contribution to South African theatre and his work with fellow artist David Kramer has earned several awards.
His death leaves a giant void in our theatre industry," said DA spokesperson for arts and culture, Desiree van der Walt.
"We trust that the SAPS will track down his killers as soon as possible."
Petersen was 56 at the time of his death.
The former District Six resident, who had been interested in music since a very young age, as a teenager won the Post newspaper's Mr Entertainment competition in 1968, according to the English Theatre Frankfurt website.
Peterson's first role in musical theatre was as a cast member of the touring production Hair in Maseru, Lesotho followed by performances in Godspell and Pippin.
In 1979 he studied at the Fitznell School of Music in Surrey, England, and was so inspired by the UK's West End shows that he wrote a revue based on his memories of New Year in Cape Town.
This revue was called Carnival a la District Six.
In the 80s, he started a successful band called Sapphyre which played in hotels all over the country. The band released an album called Rosa which reinterpreted traditional Cape Malay songs in a modern style.
In 1986 Petersen joined with popular Afrikaans singer, David Kramer, and together they wrote their first musical titled District Six.
"I always wanted to tell the story about District Six," Petersen told the website, Cape Town Magazine.
"And I knew I wanted to do the project with David, whom I met 30 years ago during a concert at the University of Cape Town. When I moved back to Cape Town, I had a priority list. On top of that list I had 'hooking up with David', to write and produce District Six."
District Six was staged in the West End in London.
Together Petersen and Kramer co-wrote another six musicals: Fairyland, Crooners, Poison, Klop Klop, Kat and the Kings and Ghoema.
In 1998, Kat and the Kings won the Laurence Olivier award for best new musical.
According to Cape Town Magazine online, Ghoema was hailed in South Africa as Petersen and Kramer's best creation so far.
The musical explored and celebrated the musical heritage and early history of Cape Town.
In 2001 Petersen began work on a 13-part television series on the history of District Six - O'se Distrik Ses - that won a number of SA awards.
In 2002, he wrote songs for a sitcom he had conceived called Alie Barber. Due to its success, the filming of a second series was commissioned.
In February this year, Petersen produced his first Afrikaans album.
On Sunday afternoon the police were still looking for Petersen's killers.
- SAPA