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Mezzo-soprano, Aobakwe Sehoole, as Marcellina in Le Nozzi di Figaro. Marcellina, a housekeeper and former governess, hopes to marry Figaro by enforcing an old contract that promised marriage if he could not repay money he owes her.
Figaro (Stephen Schalkwyk) and his wife-to-be, Susanna (Thembinkosi Magagula).
Opera thrills local communities
Angelic voices from the NWU’s School of Music on the Potchefstroom Campus in collaboration with the Umculo music project, NWU Choir Academy and Puk Arts, captivated the communities of Ikageng, Jouberton and Potchefstroom in September during inspiring performances of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (the marriage of Figaro).
The cast consisted of 18 singers, ranging from first-year to fourth-year students. The singers were accompanied by a chamber orchestra under the baton of André Oosthuizen.
Dr Santisa Viljoen, lecturer in applied vocal studies, voice pedagogy and choral conducting at the School of Music on the Potchefstroom Campus, says the production was extra special because all the singers are students of the NWU and the opera gave them a chance to showcase their extraordinary talents.
Taking opera to a wider audience
The first performance took place on 11 September in the Conservatorium Hall in Potchefstroom. It was followed by performances on 13 and 14 September in Ikageng, 15 September in Jouberton and 18 September in the Totius Hall on the Potchefstroom Campus.
Santisa says the vocal department of the School of Music invited the director of the Umculo Opera Incubator and world-renowned tenor, Kobie van Rensburg (who is also one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious NWU Alumni Awards), and Shirley Apthorp, founder of Umculo, to join lecturers and students in preparing the production. Umculo arranged for renowned German stage director Robert Lehmeier to direct the production.
Adapting Figaro for locals
Mozart’s original masterpiece is a comedic opera in four acts that tells the 18th century story of the wedding day of Figaro and Susanna. When Figaro hears that Susanna is being pursued by Count Almaviva, he plans to thwart the count’s intention. The story unfolds with the count ultimately admitting deceit and a happy double wedding being held.
Sarah Suping and Edwin Padosa sing the parts of Susanna and Count Almaviva respectively.
“In order to ensure that younger audiences enjoyed their opera experience, Umculo also offered interactive workshops for school choirs and interested community groups,” Santisa says. “Participants were introduced to the world of opera and Figaro so that they could gain maximum appreciation from the performance.”
She says they are very proud of the production. “We had a very limited budget and it was hard work, but according to the feedback from the communities, it was definitely worth the effort.”
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About Umculo
The Umculo Opera Incubator’s mission is to develop opera as an art form and promote reconciliation by taking opera to different communities. It has produced and hosted a number of musical productions and educational events in underdeveloped South African communities.
Watch the documentary, The Marriage of Figaro – bringing opera to the Ikageng community, by clicking here.