Creative Team
Jeremy Silver
Conductor
British conductor, pianist and vocal coach, Jeremy Silver, is Director of Opera UCT at the University of Cape Town. During his tenure he has conducted Les contes d’Hoffmann, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Così fan tutte, Curlew River, Alcina and L’inganno felice in addition to two premieres: Amagokra (Sibusiso Njeza) and Sara Baartman (Hendrik Hofmeyr). He has also led performances of Sondheim’s Marry me a little, and a large variety of specially curated scenes and song projects. He has worked extensively in South Africa, in concert with all the country’s major symphony orchestras, as well as conducting La bohème and Le nozze di Figaro for Cape Town Opera and Lucia di Lammermoor with Gauteng Opera. As principal conductor of Opera Africa (2004-2007), he conducted productions of I Capuleti e i Montecchi, La traviata and Rigoletto at the State Theatre, Pretoria, as well the South African opera Princess Magogo at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam.
A selection of other productions includes Rinaldo, Serse, Alcina, Orfeo ed Euridice, L’incoronazione di Poppea and the Mozart Da Ponte operas (Longborough Festival Opera); Pelléas et Mélisande (Glyndebourne Touring Opera); Madama Butterfly (English National Opera); Ariadne auf Naxos (English Touring Opera); Aida, Carmen (Royal Albert Hall); La Rondine, Lucia di Lammermoor, Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera Holland Park); Les Huguenots, Tosca (Opéra-Théâtre de Metz), Turandot (National Theatre, Malaysia) and Die Fledermaus (Yale Opera). For English Touring Opera he also conducted two exciting Donizetti rediscoveries, L’assedio di Calais and Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo in performing editions resulting from his considerable editorial work on both scores.
He studied languages and music at Clare College, Cambridge and conducting with Maestro George Hurst and at the Royal College of Music, furthering his operatic studies at the National Opera Studio in London where, fifteen years later, he formed part of the artistic leadership team. He served on the resident music staffs of English National Opera and Scottish Opera, and worked in addition as resident conductor with Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Opera North.
Marí Borstlap
Director and costume Design
Marí Borstlap is an established theater director, designer, actor and playwright. Marí has been active as a professional in the performing arts sector since 2010, producing her own work but also as a collaborating artist serving as a set and lighting designer for the likes of Lara Bye and Mike van Graan.
Marí has been nominated for various Fleur du Cap awards (in multiple categories) with a most recent nomination for best actress in a lead role for her work in Neon Smoel (2022). She is also an award-winning film maker (Die Leeftyd van ‘n Orgidee) and playwright. Highlights of her career includes the directing and design of 2092: God van Klank, Wolkkop, Drif, Kristalvlakte, Sky & Czech and the opera Dido & Aeneas.
Marí holds a master’s degree in Drama (MDram) from the University of Stellenbosch.
Rabia Davids
costume design
Rabia Davids has spent more than twenty years working in the performance industry. A Cape Town native, she began her work in the arts as a singer in an all-girl ensemble with her sisters. She started her career with Cape Town Opera in 2004 as a freelance dresser and is currently the head of the Costume Department.
She has travelled extensively, both locally and internati- onally, with both Cape Town Opera and Pieter Toerien Productions. Career achievements outside of CTO include her work on several Pieter Toerien touring musicals: as a dresser on Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia and Cats; and as the principal dresser and deputy wardrobe on Lion King and Beauty and the Beast respectively. She recently co-designed costumes for CTO’s productions of Le nozze di Figaro and L’Elisir d’amore.
Faheem Bardien
Lighting design
Faheem Bardien is a freelance Lighting Designer as well as current Head of Lighting at Artscape. Inspired by the works of prominent lighting designers such as J.T. Baker, Malcolm Hurrell and Denis Hutchinson, Faheem’s theatrical career began in 1995 and his first lighting design was for Basil Appollis’ Buckingham Palace in 2000. This was quickly followed by SwingTime at the Ballet; Giselle; Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing and Othello; and theatre productions such as Women Beware, Women at the Little Theatre, Biko’s Quest, Ityala Lamawele and The Keeper of the Kumm.
Introduced to the international theatre scene in 2001, he toured with Cats the Musical in South Africa, Beirut and Malaysia. His portfolio also includes work for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society: Annie Get Your Gun, The King and I, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Oklahoma and Wizard of Oz; for Cape Town Opera: Der Rosenkavalier, Carmen, Mandela Trilogy, The Cunning Little Vixen, L’incoronazione di Poppea, Mozart’s Requiem, The Tales of Hoffman, Postcard from Morocco, La Traviata and La Rondine. He has lit operas for The Wagner Society such as La Scala di Seta, Viva la Mama, The Flying Dutchman and recently was the South African Associate Lighting Designer for the Broadway hit musical Dirty Dancing. Faheem has been nominated twelve times for a Fleur du Cap award for Best Lighting Design. In 2011 he walked away with the Naledi award for best lighting design for his work on Cape Town Opera’s Mandela Trilogy. Faheem is a firm believer in sharing his knowledge with the future generation and enjoys training interns and was lighting lecturer for the Artscape Technical Training Programme.
Kirsten Isenberg
Choreography
Kirsten studied at the University of Cape Town where she attained a Bachelor of Music in Dance, majoring in Choreography, Classical and Contemporary Dance. She then went on to dance for Cape Town City Ballet as well as Bovim Ballet and later was part of the international touring company for Phantom of the Opera.
She has choreographed for companies and schools such as the Cape Junior Ballet, Cape Academy of Performing Arts, Cape Dance Company and Cape Town City Ballet. She was also appointed as the first South African commissioned choreographer for the Royal Academy of Dance’s Genée International Ballet Competition.
Kirsten has recently worked with Cape Town City Ballet as Senior Repetitéur, helping rehearse and stage works by choreographers such as Veronica Paeper, Maina Gielgud and Jiri Kylián.
Cast 26 & 28 October
Brittany Smith
VIOLETTA VALÉRY
Soprano, from Cape Town.
Credits include: Winner, Ruth Ormond Prize for the Most Promising First Year UCT Female Opera Student (2013); Winner, Schock Foundation Opera Competition Female Classical Winner (2016); Nomination, Fleur du Cap Award Best Performance in an Opera – Female (2017 & 2021); Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans (2022); Artes Award (2022); Winner, Fleur du Cap Award Best Performance in an Opera – Female (2023).
Roles include: Cinderella, Cinderella (Cape Town Opera and A&M Productions); Leïla, The Pearl Fishers (Cape Town Opera); Adina, L’elisir d’amore (Cape Town Opera); Susanna, Le nozze di Figaro (Cape Town Opera); Magda, La Rondine (Cape Town Opera); Gretel, Hänsel und Gretel (Cape Town Opera); Giulietta, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Cape Town Opera); Despina, Così fan tutte (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT); Pamina, Die Zauberflöte (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT).
Brittany is currently a Cape Town Opera Soloist.
Lukhanyo Moyake
ALFREDO GERMONT
Tenor, from Lady Frere.
Credits include: Third Prize, Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition (2015); Finalist, International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (2015 & 2016); Winner, Emmerich Smola Förderpreis of the SWR; South African Representative, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (2017).
Roles include: Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto (Cape Town Opera); Sportin’ Life, Porgy & Bess (Teatro Colón, Teatro Real, Gran Teatre del Liceu); Don José, Carmen (Teatro Nacional de São Carlos); Steuermann, Der fliegende Holländer (Cape Town Opera); Tom Rakewell, The Rake’s Progress (Cape Town Opera); Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi (Cape Town Opera); Camille de Rosillon, The Merry Widow (Cape Town Opera); Leicester, Maria Stuarda (Cape Town Opera); Belmonte, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Cape Town Opera); Jaquino, Fidelio (Cape Town Opera); Alfredo, La Traviata (English National Opera); Narraboth, Salome (Wiener Staatsoper); Arturo, Lucia di Lammermoor (Wiener Staatsoper); Ismael, Nabucco (Wiener Staatsoper), Nadir, The Pearl Fishers (Cape Town Opera); Rodolfo, La bohème (Cape Town Opera).
Lukhanyo is currently a Cape Town Opera Soloist.
Siphe Kwani
GIORGIO GERMONT
Baritone, from Cape Town.
Credits include: 1st prize and audience prize, Schock Foundation Prize for Singing (2019); 1st prize, FoCTO bursary competition (2022).
Roles include: Lindorf & Dr Miracle, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Tarabotto, L’inganno felice (Opera UCT); Dunlop, Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Ferryman, Curlew River (Opera UCT/CTO); Guglielmo, Così fan tutte (Opera UCT/CTO); title
role Gianni Schicchi (Operatunity); scenes: Marcello, La bohème: Henry, Street Scene: Famigliare 3, L’incoronazione di Poppea (Opera UCT).
Siphe is currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Christine Bam
FLORA BERVOIX
Mezzo-soprano, from Cape Town.
Credits include: Winner, FMR Bursary Competition (2023); 2nd Prize, FoCTO Bursary Competition (2023); 2nd Prize and Audience Prize, Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition (2022); The Songmakers’ Guild Young Artist (2022); 2nd Place, Neues Lied Art Song Duo competition (2022).
Roles include: Niklausse/Muse, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Bradamante, Alcina (Opera UCT/CTO); Anna Staal, Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Dorabella (cover), Così fan tutte (Opera UCT/CTO).
CTO Opera Chorus: Porgy and Bess (South Korea), Maria Stuarda, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opera UCT/ CTO), Orphée et Eurydice, Porgy and Bess Suite (Frankfurt), La bohème, The Pearl Fishers, La rondine, Le nozze di Figaro, Tosca.
Christine is currently completing her Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT and is a member of CTO chorus.
Asisipho Petu
ANNINA
Mezzo-soprano, from Queenstown.
Roles include: Marcellina, Le nozze di Figaro; Chorus, La Traviata (Sempre Opera); Soloist, Rossini’s Stabat Mater (Tshwane University of Technology); Third Lady, Die Zauberflöte (TUT); Soloist, Handel’s Messiah (Pretoria Bach Choir); Soloist, Haydn’s Creation (TUT); Armelinde, Cinderella (Cape Town Opera and A&M Productions).
Asisipho is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Tylor Lamani
GASTONE DE LETORIÈRES
Tenor, from Port Elizabeth.
Roles include: Tebaldo, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Cape Town Opera); Tamino, Die Zauberflöte (UCT Kaleidoscope); Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi (Cape Town Opera); Anthony Candolino, Master Class (Cape Town Opera and Pieter Toerien Productions); Prince Charming, Cinderella (Cape Town Opera and A&M Productions); Chorus, Porgy and Bess (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT); Chorus, Madama Butterfly (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT); Chorus, La clemenza di Tito (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT); Chorus, Der Fliegende Holländer (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT); Chorus, La Cenerentola (Cape Town Opera and Opera UCT).
Tylor is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Yonwaba Mbo
DOTTORE GRENVIL
Baritone, from Bloemfontein.
Credits include: 1st prize, Musicon Solo competition (2017 & 2022); finalist, Schock Foundation Competition (2019 & 2022); finalist, Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition (2023)
Roles Include: Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte (Opera UCT/CTO); Traveller, Curlew River (Opera UCT/CTO); Melisso, Alcina (Opera UCT/CTO); Pastor, Chief Hijangua (Opera Namibia – Windhoek & Berlin); scenes: Owen Hart, Dead Man Walking (Opera UCT); Chorus: Don Pasquale (Opera UCT/CTO); I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opera UCT/CTO); Cavalleria Rusticana; uShaka.
Yonwaba is currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Eric van Rooyen
BARONE DOUPHOL
Bass Baritone, from Cape Town.
Roles include: Hermann, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); The Barker & De Blainville Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Aeneas Dido and Aeneas (Stockholm University of the Arts)
Eric is in his 4th year of undergraduate studies at Opera UCT.
Van Wyk Venter
MARCHESE D’OBIGNY
Baritone, from Johannesburg.
Credits include: Winner, Mabel Quick Bursary Competition Prize (2018); Nomination, Fleur du Cap Award Best Performance in an Opera – Male (2023).
Roles include: Soloist, Handel’s Messiah (University of Stellenbosch); Soloist, Mozart’s Requiem (University of Stellenbosch); Vicomte Cascada, The Merry Widow (AGL Opera); Hymen, The Fairy Queen (Cape Town Opera and University of Stellenbosch); Gianni Schicchi, Gianni Schicchi (University of Stellenbosch); Belcore, L’elisir d’amore (Cape Town Opera); Le Comte Barigoule, Cinderella (Cape Town Opera and A&M Productions); Spoletta, Tosca (Cape Town Opera).
Van Wyk is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Dumisa Masoka
GIUSEPPE
Tenor, from Khayelitsha.
Credits include: 4th place in the Schock Foundation Competition.
Roles include: Spalanzani, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Bertrando (cover), L’inganno felice (Opera UCT); 1st Rake Sara Bartmaan (Opera UCT); Chorus Don Pasquale (Opera UCT); chorus: I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opera UCT/CTO).
Dumisa is in his 1st year Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Garth Delport
COMMISSIONER
Bass-baritone, from Raithby.
Roles include: Sarastro and the Second Armed Man, Die Zauberflöte (Cape Town Opera); Carlotto, Don Pasquale (Cape Town Opera); The Undertaker, Porgy and Bess (Cape Town Opera); Capellio, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Cape Town Opera); Alcindoro, La bohème (Cape Town Opera); Chorus, Il viaggio a Reims (Opera UCT); Chorus, Le nozze Figaro (Opera UCT); Chorus, The Rake’s Progress (Opera UCT); Chorus, Five: 20 Operas Made in South Africa (Opera UCT); Chorus, Rigoletto (Cape Town Opera); Chorus, Der fliegende Holländer (Cape Town Opera).
Garth is currently a member of the Cape Town Opera Chorus.
Cast 27 & 29 October
Ondelwa Martins
VIOLETTA VALÉRY
Soprano, from Gqeberha.
Credits include: Ruth Ormond award; Dean’s merit list; 1st female prize, Schock Foundation Competition; 3rd prize, FoCTO Bursary Competition; 1st prize, David Aldred Competition for sopranos; 1st prize in duet section of the Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition.
Roles include: Title role, Alcina (Opera UCT/CTO); soloist, Messiah (The Playhouse Company); soloist Of Darkness and the Heart (Hofmeyr); scenes: Giannetta, L’elisir d’amore (Opera UCT).
Ondelwa is currently completing her Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Sakhumzi Martins
ALFREDO GERMONT
Tenor, from Gqeberha.
Credits include: 1st prize, Schock Foundation Competition (2023); 1st prize, FoCTO Bursary Competition.
Roles include: Spalanzani, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Zachary Macaulay, Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Oronte, Alcina (Opera UCT/CTO); Soloist, Messiah (The Playhouse Company).
Sakhumzi is currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Conroy Scott
GIORGIO GERMONT
Bass-baritone, from Cape Town.
Credits include: Nomination, Fleur du Cap Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (2017); Winner, Woordtrofees for Best Classical Vocal Performance (2018); Winner, Fleur du Cap Award Best Performance in an Opera – Male (2023).
Roles include: Figaro, Le nozze di Figaro (Cape Town Opera); Don Pasquale, Don Pasquale (AGL Opera); Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni; Count Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro; Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte; Doctor Dulcamara, L’elisir d’amore; Lescaut, Manon; Colline, La bohème; Zurga, The Pearl Fishers; Scarpia, Tosca; Soloist, Mozart Requiem; Soloist, Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Soloist, Haydn’s Creation; Soloist, Verdi Requiem.
Conroy is currently a Cape Town Opera Soloist.
Julia Portela Piñón
FLORA BERVOIX
Mezzo-soprano, from Lugo, Spain.
Credits include: Prize-winner, Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg International Singing Competition (2020); Prize-winner, Marjorie Thomas Art of Song Prize (2017); Finalist, Certamen Nacional “VIII Estepona CREA-2022” Lírica (2022); Semi-finalist, Concurso Inte-rnacional de Canto Lírico ‘Alcalá de Henares’ (2023); Semi-finalist, Premiere Opera Foundation’s International Vocal Competition’s Virtual Edition (2022); Semi-finalist, Premio Internazionale di Canto Lirico Valerio Gentile (2022); Semi-finalist, Concurso de Canto ‘Compostela Lírica’ (2022); Semi-finalist, Certamen Nuevas Voces (Seville, 2022);
Second Round participant, Neue Stimmen (2021).
Roles include: Soloist, Mozart Requiem (Opera North, JazzArt Dance Theatre and Cape Town Opera); Ruggiero, Alcina; Nerone, L’incoronazione di Poppea; Tirinto, Imeneo; Concepción, L’heure espagnole; Zita, Gianni Schicchi; Dido, Dido and Aeneas; Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Julia is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Lauren Pharaoh
ANNINA
Soprano, from Paarl.
Credits include: Soloist, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the CPO; 3rd prize, FoCTO Bursary Competition; finalist, David Aldred Soprano Competition; joint 3rd Prize, Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition; 2nd prize, Neues Lied Art Song Duo Competition; 3rd prize, 21st Schock Foundation Prize for Singing; Golden Key Society (2018); Class Medal for French (2019); Class Medal Opera streak (2019); Ralph Nussbaum Music Award.
Roles include: scenes: 1st Lady, Die Zauberflöte (Opera UCT); Valetto, L’incoronazione di Poppea (Opera UCT); chorus: La Clemenza di Tito (Opera UCT), Die Zauberflöte (Opera UCT/CTO), Don Pasquale (Opera UCT/CTO) and Sara Baartman (Opera UCT).
Lauren is completing her Masters of Music at Opera UCT.
Vuyisa Xipu
GASTONE DE LETORIÈRES
Tenor, from Gugulethu.
Credits include: Tenor finalist, South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (2018); 3rd prize, Schock Foundation Competition (2022); 4th prize, FoCTO bursary competition (2023).
Roles include: Frantz, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Oronte Alcina (Opera UCT/CTO); Macaulay, Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Chorus: I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Opera UCT/CTO).
Vuyisa is in his final undergraduate year at Opera UCT.
Lonwabo Mose
DOTTORE GRENVIL
Baritone, from Gugulethu.
Credits include: Saluzzo Opera Academy Bursary Recipient (2022)
Roles Include: Luddud, Treemonisha; Seneca and Littore, L’incoronazione di Poppea; Maestro Spinelloccio, Gianni Scicchi; Angelotti, Tosca.
Lonwabo is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Lwazi Dlamini
BARONE DOUPHOL
Baritone, from Siteki, Swaziland.
Roles include: Count Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro; Guglielmo, Così fan tutte; Marco, Gianni Schicchi; The Father, Hänsel und Gretel; Zurga, The Pearl Fishers; Rambaldo, La rondine; Schaunard, La bohème; Sciarrone, Tosca; Soloist, Handel Messiah; The Father, The Seven Deadly Sins; Bartolo, Le nozze di Figaro; Dr Dunlop, Sara Baartman.
Lwazi is currently a member of the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme.
Sisa Mjekula
MARCHESE D’OBIGNY
Baritone, from Butterworth in Eastern Cape.
Roles include: Schlémil, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); 2nd Rake, Sara Baartman (Opera UCT); Chorus: Alcina (OperaUCT/CTO).
Sisa is in his 3rd year Undergraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Dumisa Masoka
GIUSEPPE
Tenor, from Khayelitsha.
Credits include: 4th place in the Schock Foundation Competition.
Roles include: Spalanzani, Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera UCT); Bertrando (cover), L’inganno felice (Opera UCT); 1st Rake Sara Bartmaan (Opera UCT); Chorus Don Pasquale (Opera UCT); chorus: I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opera UCT/CTO).
Dumisa is in his 1st year Postgraduate Diploma at Opera UCT.
Garth Delport
COMMISSIONER
Bass-baritone, from Raithby.
Roles include: Sarastro and the Second Armed Man, Die Zauberflöte (Cape Town Opera); Carlotto, Don Pasquale (Cape Town Opera); The Undertaker, Porgy and Bess (Cape Town Opera); Capellio, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Cape Town Opera); Alcindoro, La bohème (Cape Town Opera); Chorus, Il viaggio a Reims (Opera UCT); Chorus, Le nozze Figaro (Opera UCT); Chorus, The Rake’s Progress (Opera UCT); Chorus, Five: 20 Operas Made in South Africa (Opera UCT); Chorus, Rigoletto (Cape Town Opera); Chorus, Der fliegende Holländer (Cape Town Opera).
Garth is currently a member of the Cape Town Opera Chorus.