The late Mary Rörich was a towering presence on the South African music scene. As a musician, musicologist and broadcaster, she touched, inspired and informed several generations of students and listeners. Her influence was immense and profound, and her passing has left a void in many areas which is difficult to fill.

As a tribute to her memory, WitsMusic, Wits School of Arts will be presenting a tribute concert in September, which will be a celebration of her life. The three leading sopranos performing are Caroline Modiba, Alma Oosthuizen and Michèle Corbin with a talented musical thorn among the roses, baritone, Aubrey Lodewyk. They are accompanied by the highly accomplished and lauded Malcolm Nay. Works range from Bach to Broadway. Wine and snacks are included in the ticket price.

Caroline Modiba hails from Soshanguve in Pretoria. She started singing opera in High School and during matric she started singing lessons with Sannie Streicher. Modiba sang the role of Adele in Fledermaus in Namibia (Windhoek) and participated in the Windhoek Best of Operetta Concert by Windhoek Classical Productions. She has sung some leading roles including Violetta in a vignette performance of La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. Then followed her inspiring performance of Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and during September, her heart-warming portrayal of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi. In 2012 she participated in Opera Africa’s Ziyankomo and Bravo Opera Africa as well as the ATKV vocal competition winning first position in 2013. In January she assumed the role of Clara in the production of Porgy and Bess, which was staged in France-Bordeaux and later in July with Cape Opera in Spain-Barcelona. Until 2012, she trained under Luis Botha and is now currently taking lessons with Hanna van Schalkwyk at the University of Cape Town.

The soprano, Alma Oosthuizen, matriculated from the Pro Arte Secondary School in Pretoria and later studied at the University of Stellenbosch under Peet Van Heerden and Professor George van der Spuy. She obtained her UNISA Teachers’ Licentiate and Performers’ Licentiate in singing, the latter with distinction. She continued her studies under Eric Muller at the Opera School of the Pretoria Technikon. Oosthuizen has also been responsible for outstanding contributions in musical theatre with her appearances in Oliver! (Baxter and Breytenbach Theatres), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well (State Theatre, Pretoria and Baxter Theatre), The Carpenters – We’ve Only Just Begun (State Theatre, Pretoria) and A Little Sondheim Music (Breytenbach Theatre and Grahamstown). At the State Theatre, Pretoria, she has given performances of contemporary South African composers such as Nataniël, Etienne van Rensburg, Marlene Wessels, Stefaans Grové and Hendrik Hofmeyer. Since 1999 she has given regular concerts with Sibongile Khumalo and Malcolm Nay in Two Divas and a Little Jazz. Her concerts have been recorded by e.tv and are regularly presented in actuality programmes.

Michèle Corbin is a graduate of the Wits University School of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, UK. She holds a Licentiate Performers Diploma in Opera, a Music Therapy Degree and an MBA. She is currently studying for her Masters of Music at Wits University, specialising in performance. Her vocal repertoire ranges from dramatic operatic roles to jazz. During her Wits studies, Corbin took the lead role in operas presented by the Wits School of Music, in addition to roles with CAPAB and NAPAC and performances in numerous concerts, recitals and oratorio. She won the Jim Joel Scholarship and the SABC Singing Competition in South Africa and won numerous categories and a gold medal at the Hastings Arts Festival, UK. She has worked with leading vocal tutors and coaches in both South Africa and London and currently studies vocal technique with Dr Emma Renzi and vocal coaching with Professor Malcolm Nay. Corbin teaches classical voice at St Stithian’s Boys’ College and at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Music in addition to her public performances.

Aubrey Lodewyk (baritone) discovered his talent and love for music at a very young age, which led him to pursue vocal studies at institutions in South Africa. During his studies he sang the following roles in student productions: ‘Dr. Malatesta’ (extracts) in Don Pasquale, ‘Tesoriere’ in Un giorno di regno and the title role in Gianni Schicchi. In 2011 he performed the role of ‘Mandela’ in the world première of Mandela Trilogy and again in its European debut in Cardiff. Lodewyk made his debut as ‘Silvio’ in I Pagliacci at the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv and recently sang the role of ‘William’ in Jan Meyerowitz opera, Il Mulatto in Marseille for the Festival Musique Interdites and was a soloist at the Mandela Day celebration concert in Paris.

Malcolm Nay is widely regarded as one of the finest chamber pianists and accompanists in South Africa. After graduating with a BMus from Wits University where he studied with Pauline Nossel and Isabella Stengel, he travelled on scholarships to America, where he studied with Bela Siki. As a soloist, he has appeared with most of South Africa’s major orchestras: he is remembered especially for performances, in Gauteng, of the Mozart concertos, which he conducted from the keyboard. Nay is also a highly regarded recitalist, and has given distinguished solo recitals at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Arts Gencor Gallery; at the Durban Music Society; at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town and at both UJ and the Wits Atrium. A sought-after adjudicator at prestigious music competitions throughout the country, he continues to perform extensively at the larger festivals in South Africa. He is currently Associate Professor at WitsMusic, Wits School of Arts (WSOA).

The concert is a highlight for the Wits School of Music and Wits Theatre. The ticket prices include pre-show snacks and drinks.

Free parking is available in Senate House; the entrance is on Jorissen Street, Braamfontein

Production: The Mary Rörich Tribute Concert with Three Divas and a Divo
Venue: The Atrium, S W Engineering Building, East Campus, Braamfontein
Date: Saturday, 20 September
Time: 17:30 for 19:00

Full price tickets cost R125 while the discount price, for students, is R80. To book, visit www.webtickets.co.za.

For more information, phone 011 717 1376, email [email protected] or visit www.wits.ac.za/witstheatre.