GALLERY and VIDEO: The Fallen Woman
We take you behind the scenes to the final rehearsal of Verdi's 'La Traviata' performed by Gauteng Opera at Wits University.
On 6 June, we were allowed an exclusive access to the final rehearsal of Gauteng Opera’s one-off, full-length concert version of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) in the majestic Great Hall at Wits University.
With its compelling storyline and memorable arias, La Traviata is one of the most popular operas worldwide. Under the baton of renowned Dutch conductor Arjan Tien, it was sung in Italian with English subtitles. Alfredo Germont (tenor Phenye Modiane), a young nobleman, and Violetta Valéry (soprano Bronwen Forbay), a courtesan, fall passionately in love. Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont (baritone Aubrey Lodewyk) disapproves of their relationship and convinces Violetta to leave Alfredo for the sake of his family’s reputation. Alfredo is distraught and enraged, and publicly humiliates Violetta at a party. What no one knows is that Violetta is gravely ill…
On the day of the concert, Durban born, now Waco, Texas-based Bronwen Forbay was suffering from jet-lag, and just that morning had fallen victim to credit card fraud. “But the show must go on,” she smiled.
Fellow independent artist, Aubrey Lodewyk, explained the importance of looking after one’s voice, something that most people take for granted. “It’s our bread and butter. We have to drink lots of liquids, to keep hydrated. And avoid exposing our vocal cords to cold air, which can be a challenge when performing in winter.”
Phenye Modiane, who looks more like a football star than an opera singer, is the only one of the three principal singers who is not freelance. He said he fell in love with opera and classical music when he was 17. “At one stage I was part of a ‘boy band’ – four tenors – but now I am employed full-time by Gauteng Opera. I love what I do.”
“Gauteng Opera is proudly South African,” said CEO Marcus Desando. “Living up to our motto ‘Opera for Everyone’, we are planning more such productions while looking forward to the remainder of our jam-packed 2015 season.”
This concert was made possible courtesy of funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).
Details: Visit the Gauteng Opera website or Gauteng Opera Facebook page. Follow Gauteng Opera on Twitter @GautengOpera
Video: Gauteng Opera 1
Video: Gauteng Opera 2
Video: Gauteng Opera 2
