Pro Musica Opera Company

Pro Musica Opera Company was a production unit of Pro Musica Productions based at the Roodepoort Civic Theatre.

In some sources, billed as Pro Musica Opera Production Company.

History

Established in 1981 by Weiss Doubell during his time as director at the Roodepoort Civic Theatre.

The company was involved in pioneering work regarding opera in South Africa.

The Pro Musica Opera Company gained the reputation as the only South African institution that has consistently given young South African artists the opportunity to make professional operatic debuts. With over 400 operatic performances (over 66 productions) completed between 1981 and 2007, it has proven that opera is not necessarily an expensive and elitist art form and that it is relevant to all sectors of the community. Several artists made their debuts on the Pro Musica stage in opera, such as Angelina Thabane (1982) the first black soprano to make a professional operatic debut in South Africa, now making a succesful career in Britain; Johan Botha (1989) now making a world career; Estelle Kruger (1994) and Sally du Randt now in Germany; and Hanli Stapela.

Regular guests in the productions include Sibongile Khumalo, Sidwill Hartmann, Jannie Moolman and Virginia Davids. By January 2007, a total of 71 South African singers had their professional debuts on the Pro Musica stage. Of these, 44 were involved in professional careers as singers, chorus masters and academics, and of these 44, 17 pursued professional careers in the UK, in Europe and in the USA.

The Opera company was disbanded in 2008.