Saline Koch

Saline Koch (1918-) was an opera singer.

Biography

Saline Koch was born in Vryburg in 1918. She commenced her studies in singing at the SouthAfrican College of Music in 1936 and graduated with a Performer’s and Teacher’s Licentiate in violin and singing in 1940.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Her professional career as singer started in 1945 in Johannesburg as Micaëla in John Connell’s Afrikaans production of Bizet’s Carmen. She sang principal roles until 1953 and then sang in productions under P. R. Kirby and J. Trauneck. She sang for the National Opera Association and the South African Opera Federation.

Koch moved to Cape Town in 1963 where she sang roles for CAPAB and also undertook educational tours to rural areas. Koch had a repertoire of 22 main roles. During her career she also featured as recording artist for the SABC and as a soloist in oratorio and symphonic works.

Participation in the annual oratorio festivals in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg between 1951 and 1955 were among the highlights in her career. From 1970 to 1974 she worked as music librarian in a music shop and then became music librarian for the CAPAB orchestra.

Sources

Alexandra Xenia Sabina Mossolow[1]. 2003. The career of South African soprano Nellie du Toit, born 1929. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Stellenbosch.[2]

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