Hanli Stapela

Hanli Stapela studied music at the University of Pretoria. In 1991 she received the State Theatre / SAA Opera Foundation Award which enabled her to study further in Europe. She made her professional debut as The Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss for the Roodepoort Civic Theatre followed by "Constanze" in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. She received the Vita Award in 1991 for most promising young singer in the Transvaal and in 1992 the Vita Award for as the most excellent singer for her interpretation of Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor for PACT.