Stéfan Louw is a South African operatic tenor, regarded as one of South Africa's leading tenors. He has been performing opera since 1995.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Stefan-Louw.jpg/220px-Stefan-Louw.jpg)
Biography
editWhile still a student, Louw joined the Pretoria State Theatre Opera Chorus in 1995. In the following year, he received the Chorister of the Year Award. He made his solo debut in 1999 as Beppe in Pagliacci. Louw received the FNB Vita Opera Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his debut role. He remained a member of the chorus until 2001, often performing supporting character roles. In 2000, he became one of the founding members[1][2] of the Black Tie Ensemble (BTE).
When Louw made his leading-role debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca (2003),[3] he decided to quit his full-time job as a sales person at Incredible Connection to focus on his opera career.
Since then Louw made a living singing opera in South Africa, America, and Europe. Some of the roles he performed over the years include Alfredo in La traviata, Barinkay in The Gypsy Baron, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Hoffmann in The Tales of Hoffmann, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Tonio in La fille du régiment, Pang in Turandot, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Radames in Aida, Don José in Carmen, Pollione in Norma, Rodolfo in La bohème and the title role in Werther.
Louw has also performed the tenor solo roles of Puccini's Messa di Gloria, Handel's Messiah, Rossini's Stabat Mater and Petite messe solennelle, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Missa solemnis as well as Dvorak's Mass in D major at numerous occasions throughout South Africa and Namibia.
Notable Productions
editDate | Opera | Composer | Role | Language | Director | Conductor | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 1999 | I Pagliacci | Leoncavallo | Beppe | Italian | Michael Williams | Bruno Aprea | Pretoria State Theatre Opera |
May 1999 | Debut with Mimi | n/a | Tenor | n/a | Mimi Coertse | Christopher Dowdeswell | Mimi Coertse |
August 1999 | Turandot | Puccini | Pang | Italian | Angelo Gobbato | Gérard Korsten | Pretoria State Theatre Opera |
May 2000 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Amanda van Zyl | Willem Vogel | Salon Music |
December 2000 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Amanda van Zyl | Willem Vogel | Salon Music |
May 2001 | The Gypsy Baron | Strauss | Barinkay | English | Federico Freschi | Willem Vogel | Salon Music |
July 2003 | Tosca | Puccini | Cavaradossi | Italian | Emma Renzi | Weiss Doubell | Pro Musica Opera |
April 2004 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Themi Venturas | Jeremy Silver | Opera Africa |
July 2004 | Madama Butterfly | Puccini | Pinkerton | Italian | Amanda van Zyl | Weiss Doubell | Pro Musica Opera |
April 2005 | Die Fledermaus | Strauss | Von Eisenstein | English | Steven Stead | Naum Rousine | The Durban Playhouse Company |
July 2005 | Rigoletto | Verdi | The Duke of Mantua | Italian | Steven Stead | Jeremy Silver | Opera Africa |
September 2005 | La Bohème | Puccini | Rodolfo | Italian | Hans van Heerden | Weiss Doubell | Pro Musica Opera |
March 2006 | Le Contes d'Hoffmann | Offenbach | Hoffmann | Italian | Ralph Lawson | Graham Scott | The Durban Playhouse Company |
August 2006 | A Tribute to Mario Lanza | n/a | Tenor | n/a | Neels Hansen | Graham Scott | The Black Tie Ensemble |
October 2006 | I Capuleti e I Montecchi | Bellini | Tebaldo | Italian | Laurence Dale | Jeremy Silver | Opera Africa |
March 2008 | Aïda | Verdi | Radames | Italian | Laurance Dale | Vincent de Kort | Opera Africa |
September 2008 | Norma | Bellini | Pollione | Italian | Charles Roubaud | Cyril Diederich | Opéra de Vichy |
December 2008 | Aïda | Verdi | Radames | Italian | Eric Perez | Alain Altinoglu | Opéra de Dijon |
June 2009 | Madama Butterfly | Puccini | Pinkerton | Italian | Christine Crouse | Francesco Bonnin | Cape Town Opera |
April 2010 | La Bohème | Puccini | Rodolfo | Italian | Themi Venturas | Timothy Myers | Opera Africa |
June 2011 | Opera Extravaganza | n/a | Tenor | n/a | Laurence Dale | Leslie Dunner | Opera Africa |
October 2011 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Alessandro Talevi | Albert Horne | Cape Town Opera |
October 2013 | Symphony No 9 | Beethoven | Tenor | English | Bongani Tembe | Justus Frantz | KZN Philharmonic Orchestra |
April 2014 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Stéfan Louw | Doron Kanar | Stéfan Louw |
April 2014 | Messiah | Handel | Tenor | English | n/a | Naum Rousine | The Durban Playhouse Company |
December 2014 | Werther | Massenet | Werther | French | Stéfan Louw | Eugene Joubert (pianist) | Stéfan Louw |
May 2015 | La Bohème | Puccini | Rodolfo | Italian | Elizabeth Lombard | Graham Scott | Big Wig Opera |
December 2017 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Stéfan Louw | Schalk van der Merwe | Stéfan Louw |
June 2018 | Carmen | Bizet | Don José[4] | French | Daniel Verster | Schalk van der Merwe | Sempre Opera |
November 2019 | Petite messe solenelle | Rossini | Tenor[5] | Latin | n/a | Leona Geldenhuys | University of the Free State |
December 2019 | La Traviata | Verdi | Alfredo | Italian | Stéfan Louw | Schalk van der Merwe | Stéfan Louw |
Opera entrepreneur
editIn 2003, Louw started producing small opera concerts at churches in-between professional productions. By 2010, his concert series Aria! Opera for Everyone was so popular that it ran for four seasons at the Roodepoort Theatre (2010–2014).[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] These concerts aimed to bring true opera aficionados a measure of quality, whilst at the same time encouraging new audiences to appreciate true opera.
In March 2011, Louw founded his first opera company in Gauteng – Sempre Opera. In February 2013, he handed the reins to his colleague Linette van der Merwe (mezzo-soprano), who then took over as head of the organisation.
Louw then formed a second opera company in Gauteng – Big Wig Opera.[17][18][19][20] The company successfully produced three full operas – La Bohème, L'elisir d'amore and Madama Butterfly – in its first year of operations (2015) of which Louw performed in one and directed two.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]
After spending a year singing in Greece during the 2017/18 season,[29][30] Louw returned to South Africa and founded The Little Theatre Company, which is based in the Vaal Triangle.[31]
In March 2019 Louw performed his solo show at the Wakkerstroom Music Festival. He has performed at many of South Africa's art festivals like the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees.
When his wife, Marisa, fell ill in August 2019, Louw embarked on doing solo performances at private events to raise funds for her treatments.[32][33][34] When the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to his efforts to raise funds with concerts, he created a fund-raising campaign. Most recently, as the COVID-19 restrictions eased, he embarked on producing small-scale productions and concerts[35][36] that include house concerts at his home in Parys.[37]
Vocal coach
editAt the start of 2019, he founded the Stéfan Louw School of Singing in Parys. There Louw teaches children (10+) and adults the basic principles of singing. Although an opera singer, he does not exclusively teach opera techniques. Students can apply the methods to any genre of music, from jazz to pop and R&B.
Opera repertoire
edit- Alfredo in La traviata
- Calaf in Turandot
- Canio in Pagliacci
- Cavaradossi in Tosca
- Don José in Carmen
- Hoffmann in Les contes d'Hoffmann
- Manrico in Il trovatore
- Otello in Otello
- Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly
- Pollione in Norma
- Radames in Aida
- Rodolfo in La bohème
- The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto
- Tonio in La fille du régiment
- Von Eisenstein'in Die Fledermaus
- Werther in Werther
Oratorio repertoire
edit- Puccini's Messa di Gloria
- Handel's Messiah
- Rossini's Stabat Mater
- Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
- Beethoven's Missa Solemnis
- Dvorak's Mass in D major
- Rossini's Petite messe solennelle
- Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde
- Verdi's Requiem
Personal life
editLouw met his wife, Marisa, in June 1996 when they were both members of the State Theatre Opera Chorus in the opera Tosca. They got married in Gordon's Bay on 20 February 1999. After living in Pretoria and later Johannesburg, they relocated to Parys in April 2012 where they live with their 14 pets. The couple has a tremendous passion for animals and is involved with various rescue organisations. Marisa recently applied for a general environmental permit and started plans to open a bird rehabilitation centre.
When he is not singing or teaching, Louw is an avid PC gamer and specimen carp angler.
References
edit- ^ "Black Tie Ensemble pay tribute to singing legend Mario Lanza". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "LitNet Argief". argief.litnet.co.za. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "Artslink.co.za – Tosca". Artslink. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ Opperman, A. J. "Opera Carmen in Joburgteater". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Britz, Elretha. "'Uitbundige' Rossini-mis in Sasolburg, Bfn uitgevoer". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Artslink.co.za – Aria! Opera for Everyone". Artslink. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Opera vir almal!". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Stéfan Louw sluit sy 'Aria!'-reeks af in Roodepoort". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Sempre Opera sing met Stéfan Louw". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Laaste arias van jaar". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Laaste opera vir elkeen in 2013". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Aria! Opera for Everyone ends in December". Media Update. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "ImagineMag! – a South African arts & culture emagazine providing a voice and information for people interested and involved in arts, culture, heritage and the performing arts". www.imaginemag.co.za. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Stéfan Louw to introduce young tenors". Roodepoort Record. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Pro Cantare Choir joins Louw for 2013 opera season". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Tenor tunes up teens". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Gauteng kry 'n nuwe operageselskap". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Big Wig voer Werther-mini-opera op". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ AmyAGould. "Big Wig Opera is breaking tradition – IMAGINEMAG!". Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Opera throws out tuxedos for jeans". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Boekkooi, Paul. "Verdienstelike poging om operadroogte te beveg". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Boekkooi, Paul. "Stéfan Louw beïndruk met regiedebuut in L'elisir d'amore". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Odendaal, Thys. "La Bohème maak hom tuis in Goudstad". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Boekkooi, Paul. "Madama Butterfly: Verdienstelikheid gee die deurslag". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Boekkooi, Paul. "Volle Butterfly in Goudstad te sien". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Tweede kameropera by Roodepoort-teater". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Boheemse produksie vir aardse probleme". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Big Wig Opera to bring Puccini's La Bohème to the stage". Media Update. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Opperman, A. J. "Opwindende operajaar wag op Stéfan Louw". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ Britz, Elretha. "SA sangers gryp geleentheid in Griekeland". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Britz, Elretha. "Nood én behoefte lei tot stig van operageselskap". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Jager, Ischke de. "Nou sing Stefan Louw vir sy vrou". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "SA tenor Stéfan Louw wants to raise over R500K for wife's breast cancer treatment". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ Opperman, A. J. "Stéfan Louw sing ten bate van sy vrou". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Opera music for the hearing-impaired | Creative Feel". 21 September 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "SA operatic tenor, Louw performs for the hearing impaired". Rekord East. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ ""What's happening now with the pandemic is what happened to opera in the late 90's"". Parys Gazette. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.