Riveting, theatrical journey shared with a Lydenburg audience

Leonard Prinsloo, director of the Vienna Opera House, presented A Night at the Opera on August 12. The captive audience was expertly hosted by Francis le Roux at the De Ark Guest House.

In an informal setting, sections of well-known operas and musicals were played, and he gave his personal insight into these. He has directed and choreographed more than 80 operas, operettas, dance performances and musicals.

Prinsloo is none other than the brother of the talented Rosemarie Middleton. She and Brendan McLaren (former principal ballet dancer and instructor at the Rosemarie Middleton Dance Centre) were excited to introduce Prinsloo, who hadn’t been able to visit South Africa in 12 years, to their Lydenburg friends.

Prinsloo was born in Tshwane, and matriculated at the Pro Arte Alphen Park. He completed his bachelor of music degree at the University of Pretoria. He diversified his studies at the University of the Witwatersrand by training as a ballet dancer and was a key member of the Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT) ballet company for several years while he was still in South Africa.
While reminiscing about the opera world, Prinsloo couldn’t overstate the quality of voices in South Africa and mentioned the opera star, Pretty Yende, from Limpopo.

Prinsloo reiterated the talent we have in the doyenne of opera, Mimi Coertse, and how fortunate he was to study her work. She was South Africa’s first operatic prima donna.

Opera is part of the culture in Vienna and across Europe. Musical festivals are dedicated to this art, and opera singers are superstars.

After leaving PACT, Prinsloo set out for Europe to gain experience in the theatre world with only a backpack. He was adamant about making a success of his career and not returning to South Africa before reaching his goals. He worked his way up from being an observation assistant at the Cologne Opera.
This acted as a stepping stone to propel him into the position of assistant director of choreography at the Augsburg Opera House.

In 1993, the State Opera of Vienna welcomed Prinsloo as assistant director, where he worked with the most distinguished singers and conductors. He had the pivotal role as the house director of the Lehar Festival in Bad from 2004 and 2018. Among his notable achievements are the Austrian premiere of Wildhorn’s musical Bonnie and Clyde, along with the captivating renditions of The King and I and Cabaret.

Apart from the classical repertoire, Prinsloo has staged several world premieres in Vienna, Linz and Klagenfurt. Apart from professional productions, he has directed several operas for the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. His upcoming projects include Titanic and South Pacific.

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