Pumeza Matshikiza

Pumeza Matshikiza
Born 1978–79[1]
Cape Town, South Africa
Education South African College of Music, Royal College of Music
Occupation Operatic soprano

Pumeza Matshikiza (born in Lady Frere, is a South-African operatic soprano.[2]

Personal life

Pumeza was born in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.[3]

Career

Pumeza studied at the University of Cape Town College of Music, graduated cum laude under Professor Virginia Davids, then at the Royal College of Music, London, with a full three-year scholarship[4] and in the Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where she made her début as a flower maiden in Parsifal.[5] Winner of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition in Dublin in 2010, Pumeza later joined the Stuttgart Opera, where she has been part of the full-time ensemble since 2011, performing Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Mimì in La bohème, Micaëla in Carmen.[1]

Signing with the London-based label Decca in 2013,[6] she recorded her debut album, Pumeza - Voice of Hope, at Abbey Road Studios.[7]

She sang one of the Innocents in the 2008 première of Harrison Birtwistle's The Minotaur, and her first major role was that of Mimì at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010 in a production by Opera Bohemia. There she was described as "the real star of the show ... who plays the role of Mimi ... with a rich, lustrous voice.[8] She also sang at the wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene Wittstock, accompanied by French guitarist Eric Sempe and percussionist Patrick Mendez.[5]She was a South Bank Sky Arts Breakthrough Award in 2011. Pumeza performed a rendition of "Freedom Come-All-Ye" at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which was viewed by one billion people worldwide. The song refers to Nyanga, one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town, which is also one of the places where Pumeza grew up as a child.[9][3] Speaking about the song afterwards, she said: "The song [...] is not one I was even aware of until I was given it to rehearse but it is so beautiful. I love what the song stands for – freedom for everyone regardless of race or social standing or nationality."[9]

She released her debut studio album, Voice of Hope in 2014 on Decca Records and containing four classical arias from Puccini and Mozart, in addition to mainly African popular and traditional. The Staatsorchester Stuttgart and Simon Hewett accompany her for the arias, whereas the Aurora Orchestra and Iain Farrington accompany her for most of the songs, with one song with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in addition to other collaborations notably the African Children's Choir.

Discography

Year Album Peak positions Certification
DEN
[10]		 FR
[11]		 UK
[12]
2014 Voice of Hope 12 188 71

References

  1. 1 2 Anna Picard (27 July 2014). "Pumeza Matshikiza: the township soprano who wooed the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "Pumeza Matshikiza, Soprano". Musical World. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "South African Soprano Stuns at Commonwealth Games in Scotland". SA People. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ↑ Mary Isokariari, "Cape Town Soprano Singer's Got Talent", The Voice, 7 July 2013.
  5. 1 2 Jenni Baxter (2 July 2011). "South African Flag Flying High at Charlene's Royal Wedding in Monaco". SA People. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  6. ↑ Lottie Butler, "Former Jette Parker Young Artist Pumeza Matshikiza signs global record contract", Royal Opera House, 21 June 2013.
  7. ↑ Earl Nurse and Jenny Soffel, "African Voices – Pumeza Matshikiza", CNN, 23 September 2013.
  8. ↑ Amanda Heddie, The List, 23 August 2010 in a review of Opera Bohemia's La bohème in Edinburgh.
  9. 1 2 "I loved the Freedom to perform says South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza". Daily Record. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "DanishCharts.com Pumeza discography page". Danishcharts.com.
  11. ↑ "LesCharts.com Pumeza discography page". lescharts.com.
  12. ↑ "Official Charts PUMEZA MATSHIKIZA". officialcharts.com.
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