Dimpho di Kompane

Dimpho di Kompane is a South African theatre cooperative.

Also found as Dimpho di Kopane Lyric Theatre Company.

In 1999, Charles Hazlewood and Mark Dornford-May were invited to create a new opera company in Cape Town. After auditioning in the townships and villages of South Africa, the mostly black lyric-theatre company DDK (Dimpho di Kopane – Sotho for “combined talents”) was formed in 2000. Of the 40 members chosen then, only three had professional training as opera singers.

In January 2001, the company made its debut with Bizet’s Carmen (as U-Carmen) at the Spier Amphitheatre, Stellenbosch. They later also co-produced the film version, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (as Spier Films).

s a South African theatre cooperative. The company started in 2000 and currently has 32 members.