Vera Gow
Vera Gow (1942-) is an opera singer.
Contents
Biography
Vera Gow was born in Cape Town in 1942. Her primary school years were spent near Evaton in the Gauteng Province where her father was Dean of the Theological School at the Wilberforce Institute of the African Methodist Church (A.M.E.). In Evaton, Gow was immersed in an ethos of music and culture, singing in the church and at community weddings. She was profoundly influenced by the Manhattan Brothers and Dolly Rathebe who performed at her school.
At the age of 15, Gow moved to Cape Town, where at Trafalgar High School, she thrived in the vibrant milieu of culture and liberation politics, singing in school productions such as The Peasant Cantata and Hiawatha’s Wedding. At 17, Gow joined the legendary EOAN Group in District Six, where, under the guidance and leadership of its founder, Helen Southern-Holt, young people were taught drama, ballet and classical singing.
Having qualified as a social worker in 1965, Gow began to work among farm-workers in the Western Cape to improve their working conditions while highlighting the pernicious impact of the “tot system”. In 1979, she moved to Johannesburg to pursue her career as a social worker.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Gow became a regular singer with the EOAN Group and toured the country singing the female role of Flora, and later Violetta (1967), in La Traviata, Lolla in Cavalleria Rusticana (1960), Muzzetta in La Bohéme, Leonora in Il trovatore (1965), the title role in Carmen (1965). Other productions include South Pacific (1968) and Carmen Jones (1970).
Awards
In 1972, Gow won the Johann Nel Award from the Cape Town Players’ Club for her substantial contribution to the arts in the Western Cape.
She was awarded The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver in 2004 for her excellent contribution to the development of arts and culture in South Africa and sterling performance in the field of operatic music.
Sources
https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/vera-gow-adams-1942
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