South Africa: Opera Soloist From Gugs Gets Swedish Reward
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
17 June 2008
Posted to the web 18 June 2008
A local opera singer has been selected from more than 100 international vocalists to complete her master's degree at a Swedish university.
Nkosazana Dimande, 31, is one of 10 soloists from around the world who were chosen from 137 candidates after a rigorous selection process.
Only three South Africans were chosen; the other two are from the Eastern Cape.
"It's an honour to have been chosen from the best in the world," she said.
Dimande, a dramatic sop-rano, completed a performer's diploma in opera at UCT and graduated with straight distinctions in 2006.
Professor Angelo Gobatto of the UCT Opera School said he was delighted that Dimande had received the opportunity to study in Sweden as it was difficult to train "big singers" like her in South Africa.
"She has a superb voice with great international potential," he said.
Dimande, who is due to start at the University College of Opera in Stockholm in September, said her first taste of solo opera music had been when she heard Agos Moahi of the Three Tenors singing at the Mass Choir Festival in Johannesburg.
"He really inspired me. I fell in love with the music and realised that I do have the talent," she said.
To date, Dimande has man-aged to secure sponsorships to the value of R100 000, but said the burden of financial constraints was one of her biggest challenges.
She said the two-year master's scholarship programme was fully paid, but she had to cover living costs.
Dimande's ultimate goal is to perform at the Royal Opera House in London and the Met in New York and play leading roles such as Lady Macbeth.
"She (Lady Macbeth) is an amazing character that I want to enact one day," she said.
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