The Endler Concert Series is proud to host South African baritone, Theo Magongoma and pianist Danie Fourie in a concert of Italian Opera Arias.

Theo Magongoma graduated with BMus Hons in Vocal Performance from the University of Cape Town’s College of Music under the tutelage of Dr Brad Liebl and is currently completing his MMus in Vocal Performance at Stellenbosch University. A former member of the Cape Town Opera Studio for Emerging Young Artists, Theo has been the recipient of numerous prizes as well as winning two prestigious scholarships, one from Queensland Opera (Australia) and a Bruce Foote Scholarship from Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas (USA).

Pianist, Danie Fourie holds a BMus degree from the University of Cape Town and a Performer’s Licentiate in Music from the University of South Africa. After postgraduate piano studies at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland, he worked in both the practical and academic fields of music and dance at the University of Pretoria, the Pretoria Technikon, PACT Ballet and the University of Cape Town, where he lectured Western Dance Musicology. He has worked with most of the leading ballet companies in South Africa and has participated in local and international summer/winter schools.

The programme features some of Verdi’s most demanding baritone arias, alongside arias by Leoncavallo and Puccini. Theo is joined by guest artist, soprano, Kimmy Skota for the well-known duets from Verdi’s operas, La Traviata and Il Trovatore. Tenor, Arthur Swan also makes an appearance alongside Kimmy and Theo for Verdi’s Trio from Il Trovatore.

The concert will take place online from Tuesday 10 August – 17 August.

For more information contact Fiona Grayer at concerts@sun.ac.za or 021 808 2358.

PROGRAMME

Ruggero Leoncavallo PAGLIACCI: Prologue: Si Puo?

Giuseppe Verdi UN BALLO IN MASCHERA: Act III: Eri Tu

Giacomo Puccini TOSCA: Act I: Tre Sbirri, Una Carrozza

Giuseppe Verdi LA TRAVIATA: Act II: Pure Siccome un Angelo

with Kimmy Skota

Giuseppe Verdi RIGOLETTO: Act II: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata!

Giuseppe Verdi DON CARLO: Act IV: Per me giunto . il di supremo O Carlo, ascolta…la madre t’aspetta

Giuseppe Verdi IL TROVATORE: Act II: Il Balen Del Suo Sorriso

Giuseppe Verdi IL TROVATORE: Act I: Tace La Notte!

with Kimmy Skota and Arthur Swan

BIOS

Born in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg and raised in the Eastern Cape, THEO MAGONGOMA is a graduate of the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town and a former member of the Cape Town Opera Studio for Emerging Young Artists. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards and scholarships, including from Queensland Opera (Australia) and The Bruce Foote Scholarship from The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (USA). He was invited to join Dallas Opera’s first Young Artists Studio and toured the north of Texas with the Wagner society. Theo has a substantial background in performance and maintains an extensive repertoire across many languages in opera, oratorio, operetta and art song/lieder. He has performed as a soloist with the leading orchestras of South Africa and at Art Festivals around the world. He has featured in productions internationally in the USA, UK, Italy, Germany, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Singapore and Japan. Other collaborations include performing as a leading soloist in William Kentridge’s acclaimed production of “The Magic Flute” and with South African composer Neo Muyanga on “Tsohle” produced by Unyazi Festival at the University of Cape Town; “A Revolting Mass”, produced by Spielart Festival in Munich, Germany as well as “Naham – Songs of Light and Weight”, produced by the Sharjah Arts Foundation in Dubai. Most recently, Theo performed at the Theater im Delphi, Berlin, Germany under the direction of Teatro alla Scala revival director Marcin Łakomicki. Theo featured on the 2020 recording single “Blood, Guns and Revolution” for the South African singer-song writer Msaki in commemoration of the Marikana Massacre; and on Neo Muyanga’s Vinyl Recording “MAKEdbA”, a work commissioned by the Sharjah Art Foundation in memory of Miriam Makeba. Theo published an article in the 2020 edition of CABO MAGAZINE (the annual journal of ‘The Historical Society of Cape Town’) on black South African opera singers’ contribution to opera in Cape Town. Holding a BMus Honours in Music Performance from the University of Cape Town, majoring in voice, he is currently completing his MMus in Music Performance at Stellenbosch University and writing a thesis exploring the black South African operatic voice in the global setting. Theo is featured in the March 2020 publication of OPERA Magazine, included among ‘the new gold standard’ of South African opera singers on the rise in the world today. He is an icon member of AOTOS (The Association of Teachers of Singing) and an affiliate member of BORN (Black Operatic Research Network).

DANIE FOURIE holds a BMus degree from the University of Cape Town and a Performer’s Licentiate in Music from the University of South Africa. After postgraduate piano studies at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland, he worked in both the practical and academic fields of music and dance at the University of Pretoria, the Technikon Pretoria, PACT Ballet and the University of Cape Town, where he lectured Western Dance Musicology. His professional track record includes performance (recitals, concerti, chamber music) and musical arrangement and musical composition for dance. He has worked with most of the leading ballet companies in South Africa and has participated in local and international summer/winter schools. Other activities have included broadcasting for radio, musical direction and the writing and editing of arts education textbooks and journals. A highlight of his career was initiating and organizing the first international dance conference in South Africa which attracted celebrated dance academics from all over the world. Its success set the bar for academic discourse in dance in Southern Africa.