08.09.2016  The acclaimed South African tenor, Johan Botha, died in Vienna on Thursday, 8 September 2016. He was 51.

Botha was regarded as one of the most important singers of our time and sang a wide range of repertoire from Wagner to Puccini. Based at the State Opera in Vienna, Botha’s talent could be heard on the most important opera stages of the world like New York’s Metropolitan Opera, La Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London.

He also appeared with leading international orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra and worked with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann.

It is believed that Botha was diagnosed with cancer and he had to stop singing for seven months. However, in June this year he made a comeback at the Budapest Opera House in one of his signature characters — Siegmund in Wagner’s “Die Walküre”. His last concert was on 13 August 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and in collaboration with the Cancer Association of South Africa.

In a statement, Vienna State Opera director, Dominique Meyer, said: ’ The Vienna State Opera mourns Kammersänger and honorary member Johan Botha, who died in Vienna this morning (8th September 2016) after a severe illness. We are all deeply affected by this loss – Johan Botha left us way too early. We had been very much looking forward to his return on stage as Calaf, after a serious illness did not allow him to sing “his” Turandot premiere in spring. Johan Botha was one of the best tenors worldwide in his fach and has always been one of the most important singers of our House. He is leaving a considerable void behind.”

In mourning, a black flag was hoisted at the Vienna Opera House.

Tenor Michael Schade called Botha “one of the greatest voices that I ever got to share the stage with.” Kasper Holten, director of the Royal Opera in London, said: “So sad to hear of Johan Botha’s death,” which baritone Thomas Hampson called a “huge loss for the opera world.”

Botha was born on 19 August 1965 in Rustenburg, South Africa. He is survived by his wife and two sons.