Black Tie Ensemble

Black Tie Ensemble (BTE) was a South African opera company established in 1999 by Neels Hansen and Mimi Coertse.

The company later rebranded as BTE VO1SS in 2012, and as Gauteng Opera in 2013.

History

Black Tie Ensemble (BTE)

When PACT Opera at the State Theatre in Pretoria ceased to exist as a permanent opera company in 1997, a need arose to develop a programme to educate talented young singers from diverse cultural backgrounds and expose them to the professional opera stage in South Africa and abroad. In order to fill this need, the Black Tie Ensemble was established in 1999 by South Africa‟s diva Mimi Coertse, acclaimed singer of international stature, and the renowned South African opera director and costume designer, Neels Hansen. This unique programme was aimed at developing all talented young singers who were interested in performing Western art music, especially opera.

During the first year of BTE‟s existence, singers were identified and invited to form the core of the group. Younger singers such as Jonathan Boinamo, Agos Mohagi and Kaiser Nkosi, who had already had a background in music and some voice training from tertiary institutions, also joined the BTE. These singers were funded by management and private sponsors in order to undertake further vocal training with their individual singing teachers such as Emma Renzi, Eric Muller, Louis Botha, Virginia Davids and Sarita Stern.

In the beginnings of the BTE, all administrative activities were conducted from Hansen‟s apartment in Pretoria and rehearsals took place in various rehearsal venues such as at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) opera school, the State Theatre and private venues. The BTE moved into its permanent residence at the State Theatre in Pretoria in 2002.

BTE was an independent company