A physicist and a musician explore the wonders of the Universe live on stage

23 August 2024 - Wits University

Alumni Luca Pontiggia & Yasheen Modi present HIDDEN GIANTS, a talk about black holes, the unseeable giants in our Universe, accompanied by live original music.

This Universe on Stage production takes place on two nights only, 13 and 14 September 2024, at 19h30 at the Joburg Theatre. Buy tickets here: Webticket – Hidden Giants.

Audiences of all ages (kids above 5) and backgrounds are encouraged to attend and experience the fascinating science behind one of the universe’s greatest mysteries.

Step into a world where science meets art and Dr Luca Pontiggia and Yasheen Modi, through The Universe on Stage, bring the mysteries of black holes to life through a captivating talk, live original music, and cinematic visuals.

Pontiggia, a physicist and seasoned storyteller, will guide the audience through the remarkable journey of how humanity captured the first image of a black hole – an unseeable object.

The show is accompanied by an original score created by award-winning pianist and composer Yasheen Modi.

Woven through the talk is the idea that this incredible feat was made possible by humanity's greatest resource: our curiosity. This has been the key to unlocking the hidden potential in all our lives.

“This isn’t just a show; it’s an immersive journey through our universe and our place in it – a truly novel kind of live entertainment,” says Pontiggia. “It’s for people of any age and any background. Our goal is to ignite curiosity and wonder about the universe while providing a memorable experience and inspiring us to see the world with a child-like perspective.”

This unique event promises to be an inspirational, educational, and emotional experience like no other.

ÍøÒ×ÌåÓý the Physicist

Born into an Italian family with an artist mother and engineer father, Pontiggia was drawn to physics as a blend of creativity, logic, and beauty. He developed a love for questioning and playing from a young age and eventually earned an undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering and, at the age of 27, a PhD in String Theory from Wits. He has mastered the art of storytelling, having won short film awards, delivering talks to sold-out shows, and working as a data science communicator.

ÍøÒ×ÌåÓý the Musician

Modi is a talented musician and actuary from South Africa. He learnt to play the piano at the age of eight years, and soon went on to win the Sanlam National Music Competition, which earned him recognition as a top young musician in the country. He also excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude from Wits University with a degree in actuarial science. Modi is currently working on an EP, showcasing his skills as a pianist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist.

Wits University and Black Holes

In 2022, two Wits scientists were part of the global team that made the first image of the black hole in the centre of our galaxy.

On 12 May 2022, at simultaneous press conferences around the world, Wits Professor Roger Deane and postdoctoral fellow Dr Iniyan Natarajan were only two of the more than 300 researchers based on African soil who unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy. 

The South African press conference took place at the reimagined Wits Anglo American Digital Dome (formerly the Planetarium) at Wits University, which opens officially in November 2024.

Pontiggia says that The Universe on Stage's HIDDEN GIANTS focuses more on the original black hole picture taken at the centre of the M87 galaxy in 2019. "The exact same technique was used to take the one at the centre of our galaxy referred to in the Wits story," he says."The work that the Wits people did is related to what I present in HIDDEN GIANTS".