Lunchtime concert of note at Artscape
THE Artscape Theatre organised yet another unforgettable free lunch hour concert to celebrate young talent.
Following the first lunchtime concert in September, where the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) left the crowd in awe, many came out yesterday to hear the soothing voices of young stars of Cape Town Opera.
The Cape Town Opera Young Artists Programme is a two-year training programme that gives graduate singers the opportunity to consolidate and refine their technique as well as stage skills before launching their professional careers.
The crowd was transported into the world of classical music by the CPO voices of Cecilia Rangwanasha; Brittany Smith; Lunga Hallam; Ané Pretorius; Thando Zwane and was accompanied on piano by José Dias.
Smith, a soprano vocalist, opened up the concert with the popular opera drama Giulio Cesare and gave the crowd goosebumps with her eye-drawing performance.
As the only comprehensive programme of its kind in South Africa, the objective of the CPO is to strengthen the vocal and stage skills of promising young soloists and prepare them for demanding professional careers.
Many of the graduate singers have taken their talents abroad this year with Rangwanasha competing at the inaugural Deborah Voigt International Voice Competition in Florida and winning an appreciation award.
Zwane has also taken his talents to Germany, competing in the Neue Stimmen Singing competition last year and says he is hoping to visit Germany again as well as Amsterdam.