Kamehameha Schools Hawaii is reprising the rock opera “Ku I Ka Mana” for this year’s Ho‘ike.
Kamehameha Schools Hawaii is reprising the rock opera “Ku I Ka Mana” for this year’s Ho‘ike.
After the death of King William Charles Lunalilo left the Kingdom of Hawaii without an appointed successor to the throne, David Kalakaua and Queen Emma Rooke faced off in a bitter election.
Through music and dance, “Ku I Ka Mana” dramatizes the political intrigue behind the events that led up to the election of 1874.
Kamehameha Schools Hawaii put on the opera in 2018 and is bringing it back this year to mark the 150th anniversary of that pivotal event in Hawaii history.
This year’s Ho‘ike also includes a new twist — a class competition.
Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors each were responsible for a song from the opera and a corresponding hula, and will be judged over the course of the two performances this week.
Performances of “Ku I Ka Mana” are at 6 p.m. tonight and Friday in the Koai‘a Gymnasium at the Keaau campus.
Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at bit.ly/hoike2024.
Funds raised from these performances support enrichment opportunities for the school’s performing arts club, including overseas trips and workshops.
