Soprano Janelle Visagie started her opera career in the ad-hoc chorus of Cape Town Opera. Prior to that, she studied singing through UNISA and toured with the Stellenbosch University Choir.

As a member of Cape Town Opera’s Voice of the Nation chorus she had the honour of singing at the opening of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, an event attended by Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the British royal family.

In 2007/08 Janelle was a member of the Cape Town Opera Studio and performed roles in several productions, which include Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and during 2009 and 2010, the female lead role in Kern’s Show Boat which toured to Malmö, Sweden (2009) and Paris (2010).

In 2009 she was the first recipient of the Johan Botha Bursary and the Helderberg Rotary Bursary for young upcoming singers.

May of 2011 saw Janelle performing the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica. Another highlight of Janelle’s career was the oppertunity to have master classes with Madame Montserrat Caballé in Zaragoza, Spain in September of 2011.  In the same year she also performed debut works of South African composers Hendrik Hofmeyr and Steven van der Merwe.
 
During February of 2012 she performed as soloist with the Johann Strauss Ensemble from Vienna, Austria to great acclaim .

Her oratorio performances include Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Mass in C and Choral Fantasia, Mozart’s Solemn Vespers, Missa Brevis and Coronation Mass, Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and recently Mozart’s Requiem.

Janelle is currently studying with Prof. Virginia Davids at the South African College of Music.

Published 18 July 2012