Cape Town Opera has unveiled its 2025 season, featuring a dynamic array of performances.
The season will kick off with Shorts: A Festival of Pocket Operas, returning for its second edition. This festival presents five captivating short operas, each lasting under an hour. The lineup includes Cape Town favorites William Berger and Siphamandla Moyake, along with Cape Town Opera House Soloists and Young Artists. Musical direction will be provided by Jan Hugo, Jeremy Silver, José Dias, and Nathan Lewis, with creative direction from Jackï Job, Fred Abrahamse, Marcel Meyer, Christine Crouse, and Victoria Stevens.
Performance Dates: March 7-16, 2025 at the Wave Theatre
Next, Triptych: Women at War will present three distinct operas, each exploring powerful narratives. Judith Weir’s King Harald’s Saga draws on the historic Norwegian invasion of England in 1066, while John Kandor’s A Letter from Sullivan Ballou is inspired by a poignant letter from Major Sullivan Ballou to his wife, Sarah, written during the American Civil War. Schoneberg’s Erwartung delves into a woman’s haunting search for her lover in a dark forest.
Performance Dates: March 8-16, 2025
Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle will also be performed, offering a captivating psychological drama.
Performance Dates: March 7-15, 2025
Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben, a song cycle of eight pieces for female voice and piano, explores themes of love and life from a woman’s perspective.
Performance Dates: March 8-16, 2025
Leoš Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared will be showcased, telling the story of a young farmer’s son who falls in love with a free-spirited gypsy girl.
Performance Dates: March 8-16, 2025
Nathan Hall’s Atlas of Remote Islands, an adaptation of Judith Schalansky’s 2009 book, will be performed as a one-act opera.
Performance Dates: March 8 & 14, 2025
Staging Stories: The Summoning (Excerpts) will offer a special one-time workshop performance, followed by a discussion with the creative team. This new opera portrays the final evening of the famous inventor Nikola Tesla’s life. Featuring Clara Hugo, Conroy Scott, Lukhanyo Moyake, and Alida Scheepers, the session will also include insights from composer Jonathan Blair, musical director Jan Hugo, and librettist Jaco Griessel.
Performance Date: March 15, 2025
Cape Town Opera will also present Staging Stories: Writing for Opera, showcasing new South African libretti created by six emerging writers who have completed an intensive series of opera-writing workshops led by renowned librettists Stephanie Fleischmann and Alan Olejniczak.
Performance Date: March 16, 2025 at the Toringkerk, Paarl
A stirring rendition of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem will be presented, featuring Sisikelelwe Mngenela, Conroy Scott, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cape Town Opera Chorus, the Cape Town Opera Children’s Chorus, and the Symphony Choir of Cape Town, all under the baton of Gary Matthewman.
Performance Date: April 19, 2025 at the Toringkerk, Paarl
Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida will be staged under the direction of Minnaar, with choreography by acclaimed South African artist Gregory Maqoma. The production will feature a 56-strong chorus of singers and dancers, with U.S.-based conductor Kamal Khan leading the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
Performance Dates: May 23-31, 2025 at the Artscape Opera House
Rossini’s The Barber of Seville will be performed at Pieter Toerien’s Theatre on the Bay. Innocent Masuku, a finalist from Britain’s Got Talent and former Cape Town Opera Young Artist, will make his debut in this production, with Sylvaine Strike conducting.
Performance Dates: August 5-17, 2025
Cape Town Opera will also present an abridged version of The Magic Flute for primary and high schools across the Cape Metro.
Performance Dates: October 24-25, 2025 at the Sea Point Civic Centre
Finally, David Kramer’s Orpheus McAdoo will make a return to Cape Town Opera.
Performance Dates: October 21-31, 2025 at the Artscape Theatre
