Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (Soprano): Suzanna: & Thesele Kemane (Baritone): Figaro
Albert Combrink (Piano/keyboard)

Figaro/Susanna duet Act 1 “Le Nozze di Figaro” / “The Marriage of Figaro”

Duetto: “Cinque, dieci, venti.” 00:05
Recit: “Cosa stai misurando” 02:22
Duetto: “Se a caso madama” 03:09

Introduced by Prof. Anglo Gobbato
Ammateur Live Video Footage

Thesele Kemane features in the film “I Live To Sing (Ndiphilela Ukucula)” by Julie Cohen – http://www.thirteen.org/13pressroom/press-release/ndiphilela-ukucula-i-live-to-sing/

 

Thesele Kemane

Thesele Kemane


Thesele Kemane:

Born in Kimberley, Thesele sang in his first solo in Std.2, ending school as the winner of the Northern Cape Provincial region of the Tirisano National Choir Competition in 2004. As member of the National Youth Choir, he took part in the World Choir Olympics in Bremen. In 2006 he joined the UCT Opera School where he is a student of Prof. Virginia Davids. He has taken part in productions by Cape Town Opera and the UCT Opera School.

Operatic roles include: the Forester in Janacek’s “Cunning Little Vixen” directed by Joshua Major, Don Prudenzio in Rossini’s “Il Viaggio a Reims” directed by Matthew Wild, Figaro in UCT Opera School’s production of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”, Colline in Puccini’s “La Boheme”, directed by Prof Angelo Gobbato and the role of Nick Shadow from Stravinski’s “The Rakes Progress.” Recitals include the Songmaker’s Guild and the South African Wagner Society and Oratorios such as John Stainer’s Crucifiction.

He also made a tremendous impact when he sang — for the second year — the very demanding music for the Jewish High Holidays Yom Kipur and Kol Nidrei at Temple Israel Synagogue in Greenpoint, where his musicality and superb handling of Hebrew was complimented by all. He was also part of the Oude Libertas cast of Jaco Bouwer’s award-winning stage-production ” ‘n Ander Tongval”, with music by Braam du Toit, based on the book by Antjie Krog which explores South Africa’s Apartheid past and transition to Democracy, especially with material related to the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

In 2012 Thesele traveled to the USA to take part in the Glimmerglass festival as a young artist, doing the cover roles of Hidraot in “Armide”, the King in “Aida” and Johannes Phafuri in Weil’s “Lost in the stars” and later in the year in the Opera “Tales of Hoffman” he played Lindorf and Dr Miracle. In 2013 he took part in productions of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Rossini’s Ïl Barbiere di Siviglia”.

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi

 

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi :
Winner Musiqanto 2012
Belvedere International Singing Competition: 2nd Prize
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 was seen as Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann in November 2012 as well as winning the ATKV Muziqanto Competition.

A VOICE OF GREAT EASE, AGILITY AND BEAUTY.

Thesele Kemane, Hlengiwe Mkwanazi, Albert Combrink

Thesele Kemane, Hlengiwe Mkwanazi, Albert Combrink

Duettino: “Cinque, dieci, venti.”
Recitativo: “Cosa stai misurando”
Duettino: “Se a caso madama”

Duettino: “Cinque, dieci, venti”: Lyrics in Italian by Lorenzo da Ponte translated into English

N. 1 Duettino                       No. 1 Duet

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
[misurando]                         [measuring] 
Cinque ... dieci ... venti ...      Five ...  ten ...  twenty ...  
trenta ... trentasei ... quarantatre. thirty ...  thirty-six ...  forty-three.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
[specchiandosi]                     [looking at herself in the mirror] 
Ora sì ch'io son contenta;          Yes, I'm happy with it now;
sembra fatto inver per me.          It seems as if it was made for me.
Guarda un po', mio caro Figaro,     Just look a moment, my dearest Figaro,
guarda adesso il mio cappello.      look over here at my hat.

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Sì mio core, or è più bello,        Yes, my heart, it's much prettier now,
sembra fatto inver per te.          It seems as if it was made for you.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Ah, il mattino alle nozze vicino    Ah, on the morning of our wedding day
quanto è dolce al mio tenero sposo  How sweet to my loving bridegroom
questo bel cappellino vezzoso       is this charming little hat,
che Susanna ella stessa si fe'.     which Susanna made herself.

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Ah, il mattino alle nozze vicino    Ah, on the morning of our wedding day
quanto è dolce al tuo tenero sposo  How sweet to your loving bridegroom
questo bel cappellino vezzoso       is this charming little hat,
che Susanna ella stessa si fe'.     which Susanna made herself.

Recitativo: "Cosa stai misurando": Lyrics in Italian by Lorenzo da Ponte translated into English    
Recitativo                          Recitative

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Cosa stai misurando,                What are you measuring, 
caro il mio Figaretto?              my dearest Figaro?

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Io guardo se quel letto             I want to see if the bed
che ci destina il Conte             which the Count has given us
farà buona figura in questo loco.   will go well in this spot.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
E in questa stanza?                 And in this room?

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Certo: a noi la cede                Of course: it's been given to us
generoso il padrone.                by our generous lord and patron.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Io per me, te la dono.              As for me, I give it to you.  

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
E la ragione?                       And your reason?

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
[toccandosi la fronte]              [tapping her forehead] 
La ragione l'ho qui.                I have my reason here.

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
[facendo lo stesso]                 [doing the same] 
Perché non puoi                     And why can't you
far che passi un po' qui?           put it in here?

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Perché non voglio.                  Because I don't want to.
Sei tu mio servo, o no?             Are you my humble servant, or not?

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Ma non capisco                      But I don't understand
perché tanto ti spiace              why you so dislike 
la più comoda stanza del palazzo.   this most convenient room in the palace.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Perch'io son la Susanna,            Because I'm Susanna, 
e tu sei pazzo.                     and you're mad.

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Grazie; non tanti elogi!            Thank you; don’t flatter me!  
Guarda un poco                      But look -
se potriasi star meglio             don't you see that we're much better off 
in altro loco.                      here than anywhere else?

Duettino: "Se a caso madama": Lyrics in Italian by Lorenzo da Ponte translated into English

N. 2 Duettino                       No. 2 Duet

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Se a caso madama                    If by chance my lady
la notte ti chiama,                 should call you in the night,
din din; in due passi               'ding-ding'; in two steps
da quella puoi gir.                 you can be there.
Vien poi l'occasione                And then, when it happens
che vuolmi il padrone,              that the Count wants me,
don, don; in tre salti              'dong-dong'; in three bounds 
lo vado a servir.                   I can go to serve him.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Così se il mattino                  And then, if one morning
il caro Contino,                    the dear little Count,
din din; e ti manda                 'ding-ding'; should send you
tre miglia lontan,                  three miles away,
don don; a mia porta                'dong-dong'; and the devil should bring him 
il diavol lo porta,                 here to my door,
ed ecco in tre salti ...            And then in three steps ... 

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Susanna, pian, pian.                Susanna, hush.

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Ascolta ...                         Listen ... 

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Fa presto ...                       Make it quick ... 

SUSANNA:                            SUSANNA:
Se udir brami il resto,             If you want to hear the rest,
discaccia i sospetti                Dismiss these suspicions
che torto mi fan.                   that are so unfair to me.

FIGARO:                             FIGARO:
Udir bramo il resto,                I must hear the rest,
i dubbi, i sospetti                 these doubts and suspicions
gelare mi fan.                      make my blood run cold.