Experience the magic of the 4th Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition
Image: Supplied
Lovers of music, theatre, and emerging talent, mark your calendars for an enchanting evening. The highly anticipated 4th Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition will take centre stage on Monday, 4 August at 7pm at the Baxter Theatre, promising a dazzling night filled with charm, sparkle, and musical brilliance.
Established in 2022 by South Africa's beloved operatic doyenne Aviva Pelham, this competition celebrates the often-overlooked and delightful genre of operetta—characterised by its playful, poignant storytelling and rich dramatic potential. The competition serves as a vital springboard for Africa's rising vocal stars.
'This competition is about joy,' said Pelham. 'It introduces young singers to a repertoire that is wonderfully entertaining and technically demanding. We want to ensure that this music continues to live and inspire—and that our singers are equipped to carry it to stages across the world.'
Hosted in collaboration with Opera UCT and its visionary director, Professor Jeremy Silver, the competition promises to do more than simply showcase talent. It presents audiences with a unique opportunity to witness the future of classical music in Africa and for performers to evolve into the next generation of global ambassadors for the art form.
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'Operetta stretches a singer's artistic range—vocally, musically, and theatrically,' explained Silver. 'Through this competition, we are nurturing young artists who understand not only the technique but the joy and storytelling of this repertoire.'
The finalists will perform solo arias and duet pieces drawn from the vibrant Viennese, French, and Spanish Zarzuela operetta traditions, with themes ranging from comedic satire to romantic whimsy. What makes this event even more thrilling is that the competition will be judged live on the night, with winners announced in the following categories:
Aaria Prizes: First – R10 000 | Second – R6 000 | Third – R3 000
First – R10 000 | Second – R6 000 | Third – R3 000 Duet Prize: R10 000 (shared by duet partners)
R10 000 (shared by duet partners) Audience Prize:
R1 000 (voted live by the audience)
Importantly, the competition not only nurtures the next generation of operatic talent but also highlights Opera UCT's commitment to broadening access to high-quality musical training and performance opportunities. Through initiatives like this, Opera UCT continues to champion artistic excellence and cultural vitality in South Africa.
This year's competition has an added allure for audiences, as it will serve as a sneak preview of the exciting operatic season ahead, including a production of the genre's most famous and frothy masterpiece, Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, in celebration of the composer's 200th birthday and coinciding with World Opera Day.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to cheer on Africa's operatic future and immerse yourself in the lighter side of classical music.
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Experience the magic of the 4th Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition
The 2023 winners of the Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition Image: Supplied Lovers of music, theatre, and emerging talent, mark your calendars for an enchanting evening. The highly anticipated 4th Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition will take centre stage on Monday, 4 August at 7pm at the Baxter Theatre, promising a dazzling night filled with charm, sparkle, and musical brilliance. Established in 2022 by South Africa's beloved operatic doyenne Aviva Pelham, this competition celebrates the often-overlooked and delightful genre of operetta—characterised by its playful, poignant storytelling and rich dramatic potential. The competition serves as a vital springboard for Africa's rising vocal stars. 'This competition is about joy,' said Pelham. 'It introduces young singers to a repertoire that is wonderfully entertaining and technically demanding. We want to ensure that this music continues to live and inspire—and that our singers are equipped to carry it to stages across the world.' Hosted in collaboration with Opera UCT and its visionary director, Professor Jeremy Silver, the competition promises to do more than simply showcase talent. It presents audiences with a unique opportunity to witness the future of classical music in Africa and for performers to evolve into the next generation of global ambassadors for the art form. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'Operetta stretches a singer's artistic range—vocally, musically, and theatrically,' explained Silver. 'Through this competition, we are nurturing young artists who understand not only the technique but the joy and storytelling of this repertoire.' The finalists will perform solo arias and duet pieces drawn from the vibrant Viennese, French, and Spanish Zarzuela operetta traditions, with themes ranging from comedic satire to romantic whimsy. What makes this event even more thrilling is that the competition will be judged live on the night, with winners announced in the following categories: Aaria Prizes: First – R10 000 | Second – R6 000 | Third – R3 000 First – R10 000 | Second – R6 000 | Third – R3 000 Duet Prize: R10 000 (shared by duet partners) R10 000 (shared by duet partners) Audience Prize: R1 000 (voted live by the audience) Importantly, the competition not only nurtures the next generation of operatic talent but also highlights Opera UCT's commitment to broadening access to high-quality musical training and performance opportunities. Through initiatives like this, Opera UCT continues to champion artistic excellence and cultural vitality in South Africa. This year's competition has an added allure for audiences, as it will serve as a sneak preview of the exciting operatic season ahead, including a production of the genre's most famous and frothy masterpiece, Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, in celebration of the composer's 200th birthday and coinciding with World Opera Day. Don't miss this unique opportunity to cheer on Africa's operatic future and immerse yourself in the lighter side of classical music.
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Next Stay Close ✕ Roast Karoo lamb with potato bake Image: Frank Chemaly I was fortunate to be invited to two of the meals this year, and am always impressed in the enormous growth in often encountering them on their first wine tasting dinners they produce - often when they're still getting used to using knives. It's a growth not only in culinary proficiency, but personal confidence. A tribute to the intense journey they have been on and a sign of hope for our promising young chefs of the future. I was fortunate to enjoy two very different meals from two talented chefs (yes I can call them that now). Shannon Atkinson and Megan Maistry certainly produced dinners that impressed Chef Jackie and their proud parents whom they invited. A milk bun with olive butter. Image: Frank Chemaly Seafood bisque with butter poached crayfish. 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