Three Cape Town Opera (CTO) House Soloists triumphed at the 59th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards Ceremony held at the Baxtere theatre.
Soprano Nobulumko Mngxekeza won Best Performance in an Opera (Female) for her outstanding portrayal in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca while her co-star in the same production, Lukhanyo Moyake, took the prize in the Best Performance in an Opera (Male) category for his role as Cavadarossi. Tosca was directed by Magdalene Minnaar and presented at both Artscape and the Joburg Theatre in 2023.
And Cape Town Opera founder Angelo Gobbato, who will be directing CTO’s Lucia di Lammermoor in June, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his incredible contribution to the art form over the decades.
Brittany Smith won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical for her role as Maria in The Sound of Music, a significant accolade since this was her first time performing in a musical. In an emotional speech, Smith thanked CTO’s Managing Director Alex Gabriel, Artistic Director Magdalene Minnaar, and her fellow cast members for the support she received throughout the hugely successful run.
The Sound of Music, which was a first-time collaboration between Cape Town Opera and Pieter Toerien Productions also saw William Berger, a frequent guest artist with CTO, take home the prize for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Max Detweiler.
Commenting as panel chair, Africa Melane said that 2023 was a year of theatrical excellence, with the awards reflecting a dynamic, healthy mix of emergent and established local talent.
“As a panel, we were thrilled with the exceptional quality of productions mounted in Cape Town and Stellenbosch during 2023.
“Audiences were reminded that theatre has immense power to profoundly shape and transform individuals. Theatre invites audience members to step into the shoes of someone else, lose themselves briefly and become empathetic. There is hope that this forges deeper connections with others.”
CTO’s next season - SHORTS - A Festival of Pocket Operas - features three bite-sized works and opens at Artscape next month. Audiences will see Conrad Asman’s new South African opera titled Trial by Media that features Brittany Smith and Van Wyk Venter in the lead roles alongside Tylor Lamani, Lusibalwethu Sesanti, Tylor Lamani, Conroy Scott, and the superb Cape Town Opera Chorus. Mozart’s delightful comedy, The Impresario, stars Lonwabo Mose, Mongezi Mosoaka, Dineo Bokala, Alida Scheepers and Dean de Klerk, while Poulenc’s La voix humaine features guest soprano Janelle Visagie. SHORTS runs at the Artscape Arena from April 11 -21.