February 27, 2008 - Wednesday

....with Kate Bapela of the Independent Electoral Commission

Mixael presents

Sandra de Villiers

CEO, Opera Africa

Sandra de Villiers is Chief Executive Officer of Opera Africa, a company recognised for its innovativeness and artistic strength. Supported by a resourceful, experienced and enthusiastic production team, she has produced the Company’s SA State Theatre, Sand du Plessis (Bloemfontein), Civic Theatre (Johannesburg) and Playhouse (Durban) productions as well as overseas touring productions of Opera Africa and African Renaissance Opera Productions since 1995.

Highlights include commissioning and producing the Zulu opera Princess Magogo that became a popular touring production after its world premiere, featuring in Durban king productions to the Grahamstown Festival, Spier Festival, Fancourt and Soweto – bringing a new public to opera performances, and taking full scale productions to The Ravinia Festival, Chicago (2004 and 2006), Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam (2006) and Den Norske Opera,Oslo (2007)
Born in Johannesburg, de Villiers was educated at Stellenbosch and the renowned Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria. She lectured at the Technikon Natal from 1979-1994 where she headed the first opera school in KZN.

In 1995 she founded Opera Africa to empower an abundance of talent in Durban – a pioneering step that met with unprecedented enthusiasm and led to exploring ways to develop audiences and providing job opportunities for young singers with potential to pursue an operatic career. To meet growing demands and new challenges, the Company moved to Johannesburg in 2005. An FNB Vita Award for special contribution to opera in South Africa was awarded to her in 1997.

In the second half of the show, celebrated South African artist - Johann du Plessis - co-hosts BravoBrava with Mixael.