What do a rock legend, the “First Lady of West End musicals” and a surgeon with a love of music have in common? A combined determination to keep the hearts of children in Africa beating.
In a new initiative termed Young Hearts Africa, Cape Town cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Wilhelm Lichtenberg has joined forces with Queen guitar legend Brian May, West End and Broadway superstar Kerry Ellis and the Soweto Gospel choir, a two-time Grammy winner.
Queen’s mega-hit song Who Wants To Live Forever was written by May for the motion picture Highlander in 1986. It has become one of the most recognisable melodies of all time. For this first project in the Young Hearts Africa initiative, the song has received a unique and spectacular classic rock crossover style makeover in a brand new arrangement by Riaan Steyn. Listen here what these legends have produced!
Steyn is the musical genius behind Young Hearts Africa and boasts a long list of accomplishments as composer, arranger and music producer. Working out of Traxtudio International in Cape Town, he employed his unique wizardry to produce a work redolent of the pathos and emotion of the original, infused with rich African sounds.
May, a founding member of Queen, is a world-renowned guitarist, songwriter, producer and performer. He is also a Doctor of Astrophysics and a campaigner for animal rights.
English actress and singer Ellis made her West End debut in the 2001 revival of My Fair Lady as an understudy for the role of Eliza Doolittle. After meeting Dr May in 2002, Ellis expanded her repertoire as a solo artist and has become recognised as the First Lady of West End musicals. In addition to her musical work, Ellis involves herself in charity work for the Born Free Foundation with May and is the patron of several arts organisations.
Dr Lichtenberg, also known as the “singing surgeon”, attracted the attention last year as one of the performers in a touching song, Healthcare Heroes, in honour of the South African healthcare workers. He also launched a solo album and made a video with the renowned Dutch singer Stef Bos.
He says he is delighted that superstars such as Dr May and Kerry Ellis have agreed to be part of the initiative. “The song Who Wants to Live Forever has always been a favourite of mine, as well as that of my friend Riaan Steyn, who did this new arrangement. We are both huge admirers of Brian May and I simply took the chance to approach him. I figured the worst he could do was say no.”
Dr Lichtenberg says he was driving when Riaan gave him the news that the rock legend was keen to be part of the initiative and the song. “The exclamations of joy and excitement between us could probably be heard in Gauteng!”
And how did Ellis become involved? “Given that Brian no longer sings, I asked him to suggest a second vocalist, and he suggested we use Kerry. I’m delighted he did, because – as you will hear from the song – she has an astonishing voice.”
Scored for two solo voices, a rock band, a full symphony orchestra and choir, May’s unmistakably powerful guitar solos have taken the concept of symphonic rock to a new level. May himself has described the arrangement as “pure genius”.
Dr Lichtenberg points out that cardiovascular disease is the third most common single cause of death in South Africa and the rest of the African continent. He says heart disease in children places a devastating burden on families and communities and the prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa is almost ten times higher than in developed countries.
“With the prevailing global crisis, this situation is set to escalate further and, as resources are diverted, the loss of lives amongst the most vulnerable members of the population of these areas – helpless young children – will devastate entire communities. I will never forget the expression of sadness and devastation on the face of a mother one night when I had to inform that her little girl had died. I feel very strongly that my team and I can make a difference by helping to prevent such incredibly sad and unnecessary losses by facilitating access to the treatment needed.”
Funds raised through this initiative will be donated to The Children’s Cardiac Foundation for Africa, in addition to benefitting the 1000 Hearts initiative by the Christiaan Barnard Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the world famous Groote Schuur Hospital and the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.
“No one can live forever,” says the singing surgeon, “but by raising the funds needed to keep the hearts of Africa’s children beating, we can build on a legacy which will be there to serve our children long after we are gone.”
And how does the Rock legend feel about the initiative? Responding to an e-mail in which Dr Lichtenberg told him a little more about the project and why he was doing it, he wrote: “Well, we just enjoyed doing what we do and I’m very happy to be part of your great endeavour to save these lives on the brink. Having been close to that brink myself, I appreciate what you do even more.”
