ABOUT PROSPER MAKHANYA
Baritone, Prosper Makhanya holds a Performers Diploma in Vocal Performance from Southern Methodist University, where he is currently pursuing his Master of Environmental Engineering Degree. In 2019, Prosper was awarded the Grady Harlan Award, for first place in the Graduate Men’s Division of the TEXOMA NATS Regional Competition.
Roles performed include Banquo, in Verdi’s Macbeth, Police Sargent (cover) in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, Opera North 2019, Dr. Gibbs, (2019), and Don Alfonso, (2020), Meadows Lyric Opera production of Ned Rorem’s Our Town, and WA Mozart’s Così fan tutte, respectively.
Other roles include Trouble Man and Giant in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Jack and the Beanstalk, The Dallas Opera, 2020/21, the Wolf, in Michael Ching’s The Three Pigs Remix, Eduardo, Diego Rivera and Bonito, in Joe Illick’s Frida Kahlo and the bravest girl in the world, Fort Worth Opera 2019/20.
ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
The Dallas Opera is a world-class performing arts organisation producing outstanding main stage and chamber opera repertoire; attracting national and international attention; committed to extensive community outreach and education; and managed to the highest possible standards of artistic excellence, accountability, efficiency and financial sustainability.
More than 60 years of artistic excellence and community engagement has earned The Dallas Opera a major role in shaping the national/ international cultural reputation of Dallas. TDO has also made—and continues to make—an important contribution to the economic impact of the performing arts in North Texas.
The Dallas Opera was officially founded in 1957, opening with a heavily publicised concert, starring a glittering and glamorous Maria Callas. In the years since, TDO has presented many international artists in their U.S. debuts, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo, Jon Vickers, Montserrat Caballé, Teresa Berganza, Helga Dernesch, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Waltraud Meier, director/designer Franco Zeffirelli and Clémentine Margaine.
In April 2012, the Dallas Opera extended its simulcast outreach beyond the Dallas Arts District to serve around 15 000 people who streamed into Cowboys Stadium in Arlington for a Texas-record-setting simulcast of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and again the following April for Puccini’s Turandot — both helping to fulfil the Opera’s mission of bringing this cherished art form to the greater North Texas community. Starting with our 2013 simulcast of Carmen to Klyde Warren Park, a new fall tradition has attracted thousands to Uptown to experience live performances of Tosca, The Marriage of Figaro, Moby-Dick and more.