Rikie Venter

Rikie Venter (?-) was an opera singer.

Biography

Rikie Venter was born in Rustenburg, Transvaal, ca. 1940. She initially studied speech and drama at the Teacher’s Training College in Potchefstroom. During this time she took up her vocal studies with Sarie Serfontein-Theron and sang the leading role in a Gilbert and Sullivan musical. After completion of her studies, she enrolled at the Conservatory of Music in Pretoria to study with Nellie du Toit, who played a significant role in her stylistic, vocal and histrionic development.

She lived in Windhoek from 1965-1968 where she had her first professional experience in oratorio and in lieder recitals. During this period she furthered her studies at the Academy of Music in Vienna, studying voice production with Prof. Lunzer and lied interpretation under Erik Werba. On her return to South Africa, she continued her studies with Betsy de la Porte for the UNISA Performer’s Licentiate.

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

She started appearing for PACT in 1973. She sang the role of Mimì for a country tour, the role of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Tebaldo in Don Carlos in 1975, Mimì in 1976 and Donna Elvira in 1977. In 1977 she made her television debut as Monica in Menotti’s The Medium. She also sang Liù for PACOFS.

After her portrayal of Violetta in La traviata in Windhoek in 1978 she left for Germany, where she was contracted to the opera in Wuppertal until 1980. Guest performances took her to Munich, Aachen and Ulm. Her roles included Teresa in Benvenuto Cellini (Berlioz), Marie in Die verkaufte Braut, Gilda, Mimì and Violetta. She sang the world première of Kirchner’s opera Isaak Babel.

In the early eighties she moved to London from where she paid occasional visits to South Africa to sing roles such as Mimì, Gilda, Liù and Contessa Almaviva for PACT, as well as Konstanze and Donna Anna for Roodepoort. She sang the role of Cio-Cio-San in Windhoek in 1988 and retired from the stage in the nineties.

Awards

She received the Nederburg Opera Prize for her portrayal of Liù in Turandot for PACOFS and the title role in Madama Butterfly for PACT in 1986.

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 Unpublished Masters thesis.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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