Opera in Darling

Viva Italia

In celebration of the 2025 wildflower season on the West Coast the Darling Music Experience presents Opera in Darling.

This opera initiative goes back to a collaboration with pianist and soprano Dr. Lisa Engelbrecht and singers of the South African College of Music (The UCT Opera School) since 2012.

Originally a project to produce opera in the alla breve format, Opera in Darling now has become part of the Darling Music Experience‘s series of classical music.

What has not changed is that under Lisa Engelbrecht’s leadership we can draw from the seemingly unlimited pool of amazingly talented young singers which South Africa is rightly so proud of.

Lisa coaches opera singers nationally and overseas. She has helped laying the foundation for the careers of Pretty Yende, her sister Nombulelo Yende, Brittany Smith and Levy Sekgapane, now all performing in the top league of the international opera world.

With Thandolwethu Longo and Themba Mdhalose she now introduces the next generation of similarly talented singers to music lovers in Darling and beyond

Together they will perform Viva l’Italia,

an operatic song book with well known Italian arias, popular film music and folk songs.”