Abate Mekuria (Amharic: አባተ መኩሪያ; 1944 – 20 July 2016) was an Ethiopian director, playwright, choreographer, and producer of shows for television, film and theatre.
Dubbed the ‘King of Ethiopian Opera’ Abate Mekuria found his passion melding music and theatre.
[3] In 1990 he penned and directed The Shoe Shine Boys opera, which dealt with contemporary social issues of Ethiopia's lower classes, this would lead to government pressure, who viewed the play tarnished its image.
Plastow claimed that "Abate Mekuria stood out as the director most jealously retaining his power, and possibly most nervous about losing it".
[4] Abate Mekuria passed away on July 20, 2016, in Addis Ababa Hiwot Hospital due to prostate cancer.