(Photo: Fabian Schellhorn) George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” has never fitted comfortably into a single category. Opera, Broadway, jazz, spirituals and popular song coexist in a score whose musical language remains unmistakably Gershwin’s. For its return to Berlin, Cape Town Opera joined forces with the London-based Chineke! Orchestra under Enrique Mazzola for a semi-staged performance at the Philharmonie, with Magdalene {…}
Cape Town Opera is set to present Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” this November. The production, set to take the stage at the Artscape Theatre starting on Nov. 18, 2026, will be directed by Marcus Desando, a South African opera singer and arts administrator who has performed in more than 75 opera, musical theatre and concert productions internationally and has directed {…}
Cape Town Opera will present Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” across five European cities in September 2026. The showcase will be presented in a major collaboration with London’s Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority Black and ethnically diverse professional orchestra. Maestro Enrique Mazzola will conduct, and the production will be directed by Cape Town Opera Artistic Director Magdalene Minnaar. The tour opens {…}
Cape Town Opera’s production of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” will screen at Ster-Kinekor cinemas across South Africa beginning August 23. “Carmen” was filmed during a live performance at Artscape and stars Nonhlanhla Yende in the title role, alongside Lukhanyo Moyake as Don José, Vuvu Mpofu as Micaëla, and Conroy Scott as Escamillo. The production features the Cape Town Opera Vocal Ensemble, {…}
Cape Town Opera took home multiple awards at the 61st Cape Town Theatre Awards. The Company’s production of “Bluebeard’s Castle” directed by Victoria Stevens stood out in the opera category. William Berger’s performance as Bluebeard won Best Performance in an Opera – male and Siphamandla Moyake as Judith won the same award in the female category. Productions from the 2025 season {…}
Cape Town Opera (CTO) will present a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, with six performances running from May 19 to May 31, 2026. CTO House Soloist Nonhlanhla Yende sings the title role, with tenor Lukhanyo Moyake as Don José, baritone Conroy Scott as Escamillo, and guest artist Vuvu Mpofu as Micaëla. CTO {…}
Cape Town Opera has announced the details of its upcoming tour of Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” From Sept. 11 to 18 Cape Town Opera will perform a semi-staged version of “Porgy and Bess” in Paris, Lucerne, Berlin, Antwerp, and Dortmund. Siyabulela Ntlale and Nonhlanhla Yende take on the title roles, respectively. They are joined by Brittany Smith as Clara, Lukhanyo {…}
Cape Town Opera (CTO) has secured 13 nominations at the Naledi Awards for the acclaimed production of “My Fair Lady,” presented at Artscape between December 2024 and January 2025 by Pieter Toerien Productions in association with Cape Town Opera. CTO House Soloist Brittany Smith earned a Best Lead Performance – Female nomination for her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle, while Craig {…}
Cape Town Opera and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra will join forces on April 4, 2026 for a performance featuring works by Vivaldi and Haydn. Jan Hugo conducts the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and Haydn’s “Miss in Angustiis.” The solo roster draws from Cape Town Opera’s House Soloists, featuring soprano Brittany Smith, mezzo-soprano Nonhlanhla Yende, tenor Lukhanyo {…}
Cape Town Opera will present “Opera Blocks: Under the Sea,” an immersive theatrical experience for babies and toddlers aged 0–5, at libraries across Cape Town from March 26–31, 2026. Written, choreographed, and directed by Elizma Badenhorst, the 45-minute production is performed by members of CTO’s Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme and Vocal Ensemble, accompanied by Nathan Lewis on keyboard. The {…}
Cape Town Opera, in association with the City of Cape Town’s Community, Arts and Culture Development Department, will present three free community concerts across Cape Town under its “Opera in Your Neighbourhood” initiative. The Cape Town Opera Vocal Ensemble, comprising 18 members and a chorus master, will perform a program spanning opera, classical, musical theatre, African traditional, and gospel music {…}