Growing a plant named HOPE

‘Growing a plant named HOPE’ is an opera project that seeks to provide emerging South African opera artists with world-class training and performance opportunities. This initiative is a collaborative effort between BongiLizwi Music Edutainment, Afri-Arts Chorus, with the goal of bridging the South African and Swiss opera scenes and fostering international artistic exchange.

Claudia Blersch – A distinguished opera stage director from Opernhaus Zürich, Blersch has worked with some of the world’s leading opera artists, including Cecilia Bartoli and Lawrence Brownlee. She is deeply committed to music development and community-building projects and has helped many young South African singers establish careers internationally. She envisions this project as a stepping stone for greater collaboration, including masterclasses and workshops with renowned international artists.

This production brings together an exceptional cast of internationally recognized South African opera singers and emerging young singers from BongiLizwi Music Edutainment.

Director: Claudia Blersch

Pianist: Dr. Lisa Engelbrecht

Guest Artists:

Soprano: Brittany Smith

Mezzo-soprano: Bongiwe Nakani

Baritone: Bongani Kubheka