Opera in a Convent Garden –
A programme of light classics from Opera, Musicals and Jazz

Featuring:
Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi – Soprano
Louise Howlett – Soprano
Thembinkosi Mgetyengana – Tenor
Owen Metsileng – Baritone
Stellenbosch University Camerata

Musical Direction: Albert Combrink

 

Where:
Springfield Convent School, St. John’s Road, Wynberg, Cape Town

Date:
SUNDAY THE
 3rd OF FEBRUARY 2013

Time:
17h30 – 19h30 (Picnic Gates open at 15h30)

Prices:
Tickets at R100 Adults, R20 Scholars with under 10’s being free,

Bookings:
021 797 9637 extension 200 (school hours) or 079 653 3497 or better still at operainaconventgarden@mweb.co.za

Cuirriculum Vitae (Résumé s) of the performers:

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi – Soprano

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi – Soprano

Hlengiwe is a post-graduate  student at the University of Cape Town under the direction of Kamal Kahn.  Hanna van Niekerk is her singing teacher. She has been on the Deans’ Merit list every year since she started her studies. She comes from a very musical family where both her parents are involved in choral music.

In 2009 Hlengiwe  sang her first major role as Adina  in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore under the direction of Kamal Kahn. In May 2010 she sang the role  of Madama Cortese in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims as well as the role of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro in College of Music production under the direction of Angelo Gobato.

In 2011 she sang  Anne in The Rake’s Progress and Constanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.  Hlengiwe won the 2nd price overall in the Belvedere International singing competition and several other prices. She attended master classes with Fiorenza Cossoto  and Giacomo Aragall in Vienna this year.She has sung the role of Fiordigligi in Cosi fan Tutte and will be seen as Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann in November 2012


Louise Howlett – Soprano

 

Louise Howlett – Soprano

Louise Howlett, originally from England, studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Margaret Cable where she featured in a number of competitions and masterclasses. As a member of the National Youth Music Theatre, Louise toured to the Bergen Festival and Edinburgh Main and Fringe Festivals, as well as performing in the award winning production of The Ragged Child at the Sadlers Wells Theatre, London. She performed in television productions of both The Ragged Child and the opera of The Tailor of Gloucester.

Louise came to South Africa in 1993 to work as Organiser for the National Chamber Orchestra in the North West Province and soon decided to make South Africa her home. She sang on many occasions with the NCO including a number of corporate functions in Sun City and Johannesburg. She also performed in a number of Oratoria including the Nelson Mass by Haydn, The Messiah by Handel, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and was involved in choral training workshops and master classes.

In March 1999 she moved to Cape Town where she is now based. Her Cape Town debut took place with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at their Kirstenbosch Millennium Concert, but her love of jazz and the musicals led her to create her own unique combination of classical, broadway and jazz “Across the Styles” singing projects which she regularly performs with pianist Albert Combrink. Performances include such varied events as the Kirstenbosch Classical Chamber Music Series and Big Blues Festival with sold out shows at the Baxter Theatre and the Greyton Rose Festival.

Future plans include further performances at the Baxter Theatre and for the Endler Concert Series. They have also released their first CD “Night Sessions”, generously filled with timeless gems, recorded and produced by Duncan Mackay at Down South Recording.

A keen promoter of classical music in Cape Town, Louise is the General Manager of the Cape Town Concert Series, and is a regular presenter on Fine Music Radio. Her programme “For the Love of Opera” features all the latest news and reviews of opera around the world today.

 


Thembinkosi Mgetyengana – Tenor

Thembinkosi Mgetyengana – Tenor

Thembinkosi is currently a first-year Postgraduate Music in Performance student at the South African college of music at the University of Cape Town, under the tuition of Professor Sidwill Hartman. During his undergraduate studeis he was placed on the Dean’s Merit List in 2010 and 2011 for his outstanding academic performance. He has appeared as a soloist in Stainer’s Crucifixion, Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C Minor, and Schubert’s Mass in G major, Haydn’s Nelson Mass at the St. Georges Cathedral. Thembinkosi is a winner of The Shock Foundation prize for singing. He has also performed in many UCT Opera School productions, including Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (as Don Curzio) both in Cape Town and at Brown University, Rhode Island, USA, Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims (as Conte di Libenskof), Peter Klatzow’s The Broken Strings (as Akunta), which was part of the FIVE:20 Made in South Africa project, And has done Mozart’s Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (as Belmonte). Thembinkosi has recently made his debut as a soloist with The Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town on Haydn’s Die Schöpfung.


Owen Metsileng – Baritone

Owen Metsileng – Baritone

Owen Metsileng was born in Rustenburg. He comes from a musical family and started singing at an early age in church and school choirs. While in secondary school, he was introduced to classical music by his chorus mistress. He started competing in the Tirisano Choral Eisteddfod Competition and was the National Champion in the 2007 SACMA Competition. Owen was a member of the Black Tie Ensemble from 2006 to 2008 and joined the CTO Studio in 2010. For CTO he has sung Le Dancaïre in Carmen and Barone Douphol in La traviata, while also understudying the role of Giorgio Germont. He recently sang the role of Marcello in La bohème for Cape Town Opera, as well as Jake in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess on the UK Tour. In September 2012, Owen performed in Cape Town Opera’s Gala Concerts with Orchestra Victoria at the Hamer Hall in Melbourne.

Albert Combrink – Musical Director

Albert Combrink – Musical Director

Albert is a Freelance Pianist working in a variety of genres: classical pianist, instrumental accompanist, musicals, Opera and Jazz. Since graduating with a Master’s Degree in Classical Piano Perfromance and completing Licentiates in Accompaniment, Teaching and Performing, he has distinguished himself in various fields, both locally and abroad. Performances at the Leipzig Gewandhaus and Singapore are recent highlights. His operatic interests took him to the UCT Opera School, Cape Town Opera and the Isango Partabello company which won a London Critics’ Award for Mozart’s “Magic Flute”. He has performed regularly on television, for Kyknet, Ontbytsake, SABC 3′s Expresso. He appeared on SABC 3′s Top Billing accompanying the international cross-over Superstar Catherine Jenkins and local celebrity Diva Lynelle Kenned. He was Music Director of the 2012 ”Dance for a Cure”, which raises awareness and funds for Cervical Cancer Inoculations. He is co-author of 3 Arts & Culture Textbooks which have sold over 100 000 copies. His many CD projects have garnered acclaim, including a SAMA Nomination as Best Instrumental Album and a review in the International Gramophone magazine. His discs include, 3 with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, 2 with the Cape Town Tango Ensemble, as well as a Piano/Vocal Album with songbird Louise Howlett.


Food and Refreshments:  Pack a Picnic or order your own.
Pre-ordered picnics (@R120) at 082 781 1708 by 28 January

Safe and Secure Parking provided

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