Soweto Opera Quadro on tour
6 February 2008
The Soweto Opera Quadro will be taking their show, Brothers on Song, to audiences in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London during March and April, in what is set to be not merely a tour but a tour de force!
The four Soweto singers that make up the outfit - tenors Elliot Koena, Edward Mabunda and Bokang Sehau and baritone Xola Mpo - are causing quite a stir in local music circles by making opera accessible to the broader public without compromising on quality.
These versatile performers are capable of wrapping their finely tuned vocal cords around anything from jazz, opera and Broadway standards to Afro-pop, traditional music and gospel.
The Soweto Opera Quadro will give two performances at the Baxter Concert Hall in Cape Town on Saturday 1 March at 5.30pm and again at 8.30pm.
Thereafter, they travel to London's West End to participate in the South Africa Proud! Festival.
They then head back to Johannesburg to perform at the University of Johannesburg Arts Centre from 15 to 27 April.
An added treat at the concerts will be the presence of special guest Loveline Madumo, a talented soprano who also enchants audiences as a member of the celebrated Black Tie Ensemble.
Musical direction for the Brothers in Song show is by Mark Cheyne, who also conducts, with staging by Trish McKenna.
The concerts promise to deliver a blend of music to suit all tastes. Music-lovers can expect to hear exquisite renditions of a diverse selection of tunes by the likes of Josh Groban, Il Divo, The Beatles, George Harrison, Verdi, Johannes Kerkorrel and Nianell.
Booking for all the Brothers in Song concerts is open at Computicket.
The Soweto Opera Quadro is:
Edward Mabunda: Born in Soweto, Edward started singing at an early age. He joined a private music clinic where he studied basic performing arts and majored in voice and stage acting under Petrus Mofokeng. Edward sings a variety of music genres from traditional African music to opera.
He joined Pro Musica Opera Company as understudy in 1999 and performed in Opera productions such as Verdi's La Traviata, Rigoletto, Un Ballo in Maschera, Madam Butterfly, Tosca, La Boheme, Le Nozze di Figaro, Mahler's Symphony No 2 and the Gounod St. Cecilia Mass.
He is also a freelance soloist for SABC choristers and a founder member of The Soweto Opera Quadro.
Elliot Koena: Elliot is a tenor and started singing at primary school, later joining vocal teacher Petros Mofokeng as a private student. He has performed with the Pro Musica Opera Company and is a permanent member of Soweto Opera Quadro.
Bokang Sehau: Bokang is a tenor and studied basic theory and voice at Fuba School of Music in Johannesburg. He has performed in concert with the Soweto Symphony Orchestra. Sehau is a freelancer with SABC Choristers.
Xola Mpola: Xola studied a performer's diploma in opera at the South African College of Music. He later enrolled at the University of Cape Town where he majored in stage and voice production under Professor Angelo Gobbato.
While in Cape Town he performed baritone roles in operas such as Romeo and Juliet and Cosi fan Tutte. He later moved to Johannesburg where he became a member of the Black Tie Ensemble. Xola is a full time member of Soweto Opera Quadro.
SAinfo reporter
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