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"Let thy love play upon
my voice and rest on
my silence. Let it pass
through my heart into
all my movements. Let
thy love like stars
shine in the darkness
of my sleep and dawn
in my awakening. Let
it burn in the flame
of my desires and flow
in all currents of my
own love. Let me carry
thy love in my life
as a harp does its music,
and give it back to
thee at last with my
life." |
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– Rabindrinath Tagore |
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| With
these thoughts in her mind, Elizabeth
Frandsen has devoted herself to
her music and her public. Whatever
the music or type of performance,
whether it be Oratorio from the
15th Century, Opera from the 18th
Century, a 20th Century Musical
or even Cabaret, Elizabeth gives
all her love, respect and devotion
to her art. |
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| “Born
in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1974
I received my first musical training
on the piano at the age of four
with a private teacher in the Cape.
After my Primary schooling I went
to the National School of the Arts
in Johannesburg where I studied
the piano as well as the organ and
recorder. |
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| Having
completed school, my vocal training
started with Joyce Barker at the
University of the Witwatersrand.
When Ms. Barker passed away, I continued
with the great Emma Renzi who taught
me for a further eight years. I
was fortunate in receiving training
from a great 'master' of singing
who had sung at La Scala in Milan.
For her time and devotion to my
voice I will always be grateful. |
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| My
operatic debut was in 1997 in the
role of Pamina in ‘Die Zauberflote’
in Windhoek. It was a collaboration
between South Africa and Austria.
It was an exciting time for me.
A lot of concert work followed and
I decided that I needed more training. |
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| In
1998 I was accepted into the Opernstudio
of the Zurich Opera House in Switzerland
and remained there for two years.
I had Vocal training with the mother
of Cecelia Bartoli, Mara Zampieri
and with Lodevico Zocche. I also
had masterclasses with Elisabeth
Schwartzkopf, Vincenzo La Scola
and Maestro Nello Santi of La Scala. |
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As Pamina in
'Die Zauberflote'
with Henk Klijnhans
as Tamino, 1997
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My Operatic debut in
Switzerland was in “Die
Rose vom Liebesgarten’
by Hans Pfitzner. I
played the role of Schwartzhilde
opposite Fransisco Araiza
conducted by Franz Welser-Most.
Another highlight fom
my time in Switzerland
was a concert for the
Countess Sonja of Sweden
at the Palace of the
King of Sweden on Insel
Mainau on Lake Konstanz.
The concert included
the Singers of the Opera
Studio and Agnes Baltsa,
the great mezzo. For
my country I sang Selika’s
Aria from ‘L’Africaine’
with the Suddeutsche
Philharmonie. |
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With Fransisco
Araiza in 'Die
Rose vom Liebesgarten',
Zurich Opera
House, 1999
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| I
longed for home and came back to
South Africa where I played Carolina
in “Matrimonio Segreto” by Cimarosa
- the last production put on by
PACT. In 2000 and 2001 I sang Mimi
in “La Boheme” and Violetta in “La
Traviata” for Pro-Musica Opera. |
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| It
was during this time that I met
my husband, Wynand du Plessis. He
was a violinist in the orchestra
and it was a quick and passionate
romance that led us to the altar.
He is the strength and the support
I need in my career. He is patient
and understanding and knows what
a performer needs. |
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As Violetta in 'La Traviata'
in 2001
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| I
started performing from a very young
age. My talent was nurtured by my
mother Joy and was recognised early
in my life by my grandmother, herself
an opera singer. |
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| My
grandmother was Doris Forster. In
her day she was known by her stage
name Doris Kent-Rothaug. She was
the leading coloratura in the Hamburg
Stadtsoper between the World Wars.
She married an Art and Antique dealer,
Georg Rothaug in 1913. She sang
many roles among which were Zerbinetta
in “Adriana auf Naxos” under the
baton of the composer Richard Strauss.
She also sang Violetta with Richard
Tauber. Among her colleagues were
Carl Gunther, Georg Boklanoff, Alfred
Ticcaver, Frieda Leider, Lotte Lehmann
and Tito Schipa. |
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Doris Kent-Rothaug as
Konigin der Nacht, 'Die
Zauberflote' - Violetta,
'La Traviata' - Philine,
'Mignon'
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| Her
first venture onto the stage was
in 1910 at the age of 16 singing
in the chorus in the London Palladium
under Sir Thomas Beecham in “Tales
of Hoffmann”. Little did she know
that she would be singing all three
ladies from that great opera a few
years later in Hamburg. She studied
in Lubeck with Kappelmeister Mannsteadt
and in Italy with Maestro Sessona.
She auditioned for Kappelmeister
Egon Pollack and for Intendant Oewersedt
for Hamburg Stadtsoper and began
a 14 year relationship with that
house. She became known as the “Blue
Lady’ of Hamburg as she favoured
blue ball gowns. Her greatest roles
included Violetta, Mimi, Rosina,
Queen of the Night, Leonora, Olympia,
Martha, Zerbinetta, Die Vogel By
Lortzing and many more of the great
coloratura fach. In 1930 she married
my grandfather, Leslie Clive Forster
and they came to South Africa with
my mother Joy and her sister Manon
and brother Raymond. |
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| My
grandmother was a major influence
on my young life and having her
photographs and memorabilia around
me inspired my vision to become
a performer like herself. Sadly
she passed at 94 when I was 12 years
old. I hope she approves of what
I have done with my talent. |
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| My
first main role in a production
was for the National School of the
Arts. At 13 I played Yum-Yum in
the school production of ‘The Mikado’
by Gilbert and Sullivan. |
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As Madame Giry
in 'Phantom
of the Opera'
with Andre Schwarz,
2004
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Since my first singing
lesson in 1992, I have
come a long way in working
on my career and art.
I feel that I am a versatile
performer and I do not
concentrate on Opera
alone. I was selected
to play the part of
Madame Giry in "The
Phantom of the Opera"
in 2004. It was an honour
to be a part of so great
an international musical.
It was a wonderful stage
experience. What fun!! |
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After 200 Performances
I moved on to “Showboat”
with Cape Town Opera.
I did three acting roles,
Parthy, Miss America
and the Irish Landlady.
The show toured to Nuremburg
and Oslo. |
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In October of 2006,
I sang the Alto solo
in the Mozart ‘Requiem’
and the second Soprano
and Contralto parts
in the Vivaldi “Gloria”
at the Cape Town City
Hall with the Cape Philharmonc
and the Philharmonia
Choir under the baton
of Kaare Hanken. |
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| Around
these productions I sang for the
”Camerata Tinta Barocca”. A Baroque
Chamber group based in Cape Town
and directed by the Violinist Quentin
Crida. I love Baroque Opera and
Sacred Music and we performed Vivaldi’s
“Stabat Mater” & the Cantata “Cessate,
omai Cessate” and the Pergolesi
“Stabat Mater” In St. Georges Cathedral,
Cape Town. |
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| My
other love is Jazz. I work with
my friend Danielle Pascal and we
have held concerts together in and
around Cape Town. She has been a
friend and an inspiration to me.
I concentrate on the Jazz of the
old style of Ella Fitzgerald, Sinatra,
Tony Bennett. I hope to bring this
relatively new genre for me more
to the fore in future. |
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| Thank
you for reading about me and my
emerging career. Thank you for your
time and I hope you will continue
in your support for the arts in
South Africa today!” |
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