Soloists:          Caroline Nkwe, Annemarie Steenkamp, Bongani Makhanya, Phenye Modiane, Christopher Vale and members of the BTE VO1SS Academy

Conductor:       Alexander Fokkens

Date:                Saturday 20 April 2013

Venue:             Odeion

Time:                19:30

After the success of the Verdi Gala Concert last year, the Free State Symphony Orchestra decided to join forces with the Black Tie Ensemble & Voice Opera One Stop Shop (BTE VO1SS) again to present a concert with excerpts from operas. This year the focus will be on music by Mozart. Five soloists of BTE Vo1ss - Caroline Nkwe (soprano), Annemarie Steenkamp (mezzo-soprano), Phenye Modiane (tenor), Kagiso Boroko (tenor) and Christopher Vale (baritone) - members of the BTE Vo1ss Academy and the local choir Voices will perform with the FSSO conducted by Alexander Fokkens.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's operas comprise 22 musical dramas in a variety of genres. They range from the small-scale, derivative works of his youth to the full-fledged operas of his maturity. Three of the works were abandoned before completion and were not performed until many years after the composer's death. His mature works are all considered classics and have never been out of the repertory of the world's opera houses.

The comic opera Le Nozze di Figaro (Marriage of Figaro) was composed when Mozart was 30 and is often regarded (with Cosi fan tutte) as one of the best examples of opera buffa. The following excerpts will be performed:

• Cherubino’s aria “Non so piu cosa son, cosa faccio” will be sung by Annemarie Steenkamp;
• The finale from the second act “Esci omai garzon malnato”;
• Figaro’s exciting aria “Hai gia vinta la causa” will be sung by Christopher Vale;
• The whole company will join in for the beautiful finale of the opera.

Although the opera Don Giovanni is sometimes classified as comic, it blends comedy, melodrama and supernatural elements and can be better described as dramma giocoso. One of the most beautiful duets that can be found in any opera, “La ci darem la mano” will be sung by Annemarie Steenkamp and Christopher Vale.

Cosi fan tutte was written when Mozart was 34. The virtuoso soprano aria, “Come scoglio” will be sung by Caroline Nkwe. Also included in the programme are two trios from the opera: “Soave sia il vento” for 2 sopranos and baritone and “La mia Dorabella capace non è” for tenor, baritone and bass.

A Singspiel is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. Mozart wrote four Singspiele. Excerpts from 3 of these will be on the programme: the Overture of Der Schauspieldirektor (Impressario), the duet “Vivat Bacchus, Bacchus liebe” and the finale “Nie werd' ich deine” from Die Entführung aus dem Serail and the male chorus “O Isis und Osiris” from Die Zauberflöte. The latter will be performed by Vo1ss Academy and the local Voices choir.

Mozart has already started work on Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) when he was commissioned to write a new work to celebrate the coronation of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor as King of Bohemia. The result was La Clemenza di Tito which he completed within about a month. The Overture and the tenor aria “Ah Se fosse intorno al trono” are on the programme.

The evening will end with the Benedictus from the big Mass in c minor, K427.

Admission

R120 (adults)

R80 (pensioners)

R50 (students / scholars / groups of 10 and more)

Tickets are available from Computicket (Shoprite / Checkers, Mimosa Mall)

Book online at www.computicket.com

Enquiries:

Ella Kotze (FSSO), tel. (051) 401-2342

www.fsso.org.za