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Allison Foat
Three Cape Town Opera (CTO) House Soloists triumphed at the festive 59th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards ceremony held at the Baxter Theatre on Sunday, 17 March 2024.
Soprano Nobulumko Mngxekeza won Best Performance in an Opera (Female) for her outstanding portrayal in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca while her co-star in the same production, Lukhanyo Moyake, took the prize in the Best Performance in an Opera (Male) category for his role as Cavadarossi. Tosca was directed by Magdalene Minnaar and presented at both Artscape and the Joburg Theatre in 2023. Cape Town Opera founder Angelo Gobbato, who will be directing CTO’s Lucia di Lammermoor in June 2024, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his incredible contribution to the art form over the decades.
Brittany Smith won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical for her role as Maria in The Sound of Music, a particularly significant accolade since this was her first time performing in a musical. In an emotional speech, Smith thanked CTO’s Managing Director Alex Gabriel, Artistic Director Magdalene Minnaar, and her fellow cast members for the incredible support she received throughout the hugely successful run. The Sound of Music, which was a first-time collaboration between Cape Town Opera and Pieter Toerien Productions also saw William Berger (a frequent guest artist with CTO) take home the prize for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Max Detweiler.
Cape Town Opera, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year is one of the largest full-time performing arts institutions in South Africa with 58 full-time employees. The Company, which is the only continuously active opera company on the African continent, is also one of the most diverse in the world. It offers a dynamic array of productions annually, including main stage operas, new works, site-specific performances, touring productions, musicals and concerts, and caters to audiences of all ages, from immersive shows designed for toddlers to community concerts and educational programs for school learners facilitated by CTO’s Youth Development and Education department. CTO’s commitment to creating jobs spans the entire theatre industry, supporting everyone from singers to set builders and fostering the incredible talent found in every corner of South Africa.
CTO’s next season - SHORTS - A Festival of Pocket Operas - features three bite-sized works and opens at Artscape next month. Audiences will see Conrad Asman’s new South African opera entitled Trial by Media that features Brittany Smith and Van Wyk Venter in the lead roles alongside Tylor Lamani, Lusibalwethu Sesanti, Tylor Lamani, Conroy Scott, and the superb Cape Town Opera Chorus. Mozart’s delightful comedy The Impresario stars Lonwabo Mose, Mongezi Mosoaka, Dineo Bokala, Alida Scheepers and Dean de Klerk, while Poulenc’s La voix humaine features guest soprano Janelle Visagie. SHORTS runs at the Artscape Arena from 11 to 21 April 2024 with bookings through Webtickets (please refer to the booking portal for PG advisories) and through Artscape on 0214217695.