Contextprogram Giovanni’s Room (2025)

This performance, which took place in the ITA Bookshop, was a contextual programme for and commentary on ITA’s production Giovanni’s Room. In collaboration with soprano Ashley Munganyende and writer Munganyende Hélène Christelle, Djuwa put together a programme around the themes of Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room, with music by Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Margaret Bonds, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and texts by Munganyende Hélène Christelle.

Djuwa and singer Ashley Stapelfeldt, explored Baldwin's musical connections with artists such as Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba. Their relationships transcended the personal and were a source of inspiration, artistic expression and self-actualisation.

They explored Baldwin's place in the literary world related to contemporaries from the music world. What connections and freedoms did Baldwin find within the music world? And how can we today, in the spirit of Baldwin, forge alliances between the literary world, the performing arts and music world in our pursuit of dialogue and emancipation?

Whereas Baldwin received negative feedback in his time when, as a Black gay man, he also wanted to write from the perspective of a white gay man, his friend Nina Simone also ran into resistance when, as a young Black girl, she wanted to play classical piano. Another contemporary, Miriam Makeba struggled with the fact that because of her outspoken views, there seemed to be no room and appreciation for her vulnerability and gentleness. From these artists, Djuwa and Ashley therefore played the songs that deal with a love that is unattainable, with internalised homophobia, but also with their strength, hopes and dreams.