Frans Swart pays tribute to legendary singer in new production
Not only was he a singer, but he was a mentor to so many people in the industry.
This year marks the 20th year since the legendary voice of South Africa’s first true superstar, Gé Korsten, fell silent forever, and his life, career and phenomenal talent are celebrated in tribute production Gé Sing: Hoor My Lied!
This elegant production will take place on August 31 at 8pm in the Big Top Arena at Carnival City, and will then visit GrandWest’s Grand Arena on September 28, also at 8pm.
Frans Swart, director of Gé Sing: Hoor My Lied!, says it is a great privilege for him to pay tribute to this iconic singer and artist.
“If there was ever a superstar in South Africa, it was Gé. I was privileged to know Gé personally because as a young cameraman at SABC TV, I worked on a few seasons of his popular TV programme, Gé Sing.
“We became very good friends and I developed the most incredible respect for this artist.
“Not only was he a singer, but he was a mentor to so many people in the industry.
“He was a family man, administrator, friend, actor, singer, orator, fighter for the opera and a legend.”
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Top artists, such as Andrè Schwartz, Louis Loock, Arina de Witt, Jannie Moolman, the PJ Twins and Taschè from The Voice, pays tribute to Gè with audio-visual archival material projected against a giant screen in Gé Sing: Hoor My Lied! to give the audience an overview of his work, as well as provide insights on Gé as an artist, man and father.
His musical legacy will be reinterpreted in a fresh way by some of the country’s leading artists and a full orchestra.
Born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on December 6, 1927, as the youngest of eight children, Gé and his family immigrated to South Africa when he was nine years old.
From the age of 20, Gè started singing in choirs and received his first formal vocal training in 1952, when he was well into his 20s, studying under Adelheid Armhold at the South African College of Music.
In 1955, he moved to Pretoria, where he was one of the founding members of the Pretoria Opera Company.
In 1956, he debuted as Canio in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Gé won a bursary to study in Vienna in 1962, where he received tuition under Judith Hellwig.
During this period, he had the opportunity to perform in Vienna and Munich, but he never sang professionally outside South Africa mainly due to family considerations.
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It was only in 1970 that Gé sold his business to devote himself to singing full time.
In the course of his operatic career, Gé appeared on stage more than 3 000 times, playing 23 roles in most major operas.
In 1965, he started his career in light music, with his album Gé Korsten Sing Uit Die Hart, and soon became a best-selling recording artist with a career spanning 40 years.
Nine of his 58 albums achieved gold status.
Most of his recorded work is light Afrikaans music, including the song Liefling.
His popularity as a singer also led to lead roles in films such as Hoor My Lied, Lied In My Hart and A New Life, all of which included singing scenes.
He received six Sarie Awards and, in 1979, an ARTES Award for his TV programme Gé Sing.
In his later life, Gé was well known for his role as family patriarch Walt Vorster in the long-running South African soap opera Egoli: Place of Gold.
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