RAPHAEL VILAKAZI, BARITONE

Based in Cape Town

A multitalented baritone Raphael Vilakazi is the co-founder and former Deputy CEO of Opera Africa. Mr Vilakazi graduated from Technikon Natal’s Academy of Music. He joined the Durban Serenade Choral Society in 1985 and became a member of the NAPAC Ad-hoc Chorus in 1987. In 1989 he became a full time member of the NAPAC Singers performing in numerous musicals and opera productions. He made his professional solo debut in the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Youth Concerto Festival in 1989 under the baton of Maestro Dr David Tidboald.

The same year he appeared in the Debut with Mimi Coertze at the STATE THEATRE, Pretoria. In 1991 he was appointed as a full time soloist by NAPAC Opera Dept, and in the same year he took part in a master-class presented by the internationally renowned dramatic soprano Miss Elizabeth Connell, organised by SAMRO at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS). In 1992 he was appointed by PACT as soloist at the State Theatre, Pretoria. Mr Vilakazi is the recipient of the 1992 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music, and in 1993 he was the finalist in the Franscisco Vinas International Singing Competition held in Spain, Barcelona. In 1996 he was awarded the Vita Award for the most outstanding performance by a male singer in a leading role as Papageno in Die Zaberflote by Mozart. 

His opera repertoire includes the roles of the Lawyer in Gianni Schicchi by Puccini, Figaro in Le Nozze De Figaro by Mozart, Escamillo in Carmen by Bizet, Papageno in Die Zauberflote by Mozart, Silvio in Pagliacci, Prince Yamadori in Puccini’s Madamma Butterfly as well as Schanaurd in Puccini’s LaBoheme, Valentine in Opera Africa’s pioneering project of Faust staged at the University of Zululand. He took part in a new version of Beethoven’s Fidelio staged by Broomhill Opera Company in London, England. Mr Vilakazi took part in the International Gala Concert presented by Pro Musica Opera in conjunction with the Norway Government, showcasing the cream of South African Opera Voices with the Norwegian opera voices, held at the Johanessburg City Hall in March 2004.      

Raphael's concert repertoire includes works such as Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Stabat Mater, Mozart Requiem, Mozart’s Mass in C Major, Four Serious Songs by Brahms, Mendehlsson’s Elijah, Faure Requiem, as well as the world premier of the Zulu Messiah with the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Pietermariztburg, SouthAfrica. In 1995 he performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in their tour of South Africa, where he sang the baritone part of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 (The Choral).

He has performed at prestigious events such as Last Night of the Proms, the opening of the Table Bay Hotel, the Launch of the Arts and Culture Trust for the President, Night of the 100 Stars in Aid of Cancer Research, Africa PEACE Awards in honour of former President of South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla  Mandela  as well as the former President of Mozambique, President Chissano, the 50th birthday of King Goodwill Zwelithini, the 1995 Miss South Africa Beauty Pageant, International Lawyer’s Conference, Opening of the Durban International Conference Centre, the ITALTILE Palomba Launch, the Rand Merchant Bank Starlight Pop Opera with the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the Art of Life Gala Concert presented by Standard Bank, celebrating 10 years of South Africa’s Democracy.

Mr Vilakazi has appeared in the following concert venues in South Africa: Johannesburg City Hall, Cape Town City Hall, Durban Playhouse, Sand Du Plessis Theatre Bloemfontein, Civic Theatre- Johannesburg, State Theatre – Pretoria, International Convention Centre – Durban, Sun City Super Bowl and Vodadome Theatre – Johannesburg.

REPERTOIRE

All I Ask Of You
Time To Say Goodbye
Life Depends On Love Alone
O Sole Mio
Funi Culi, Funi Cula
Santa Lucia
Libiamo
The Impossible Dream
La Donna Emobile
When I fall In Love
My Way
You Raise Me Up
I Love You So
New York, New York
They Can’t Take That Away From Me
Nessun Dorma
Smile
Because You Are Mine
Faith Can Move Mountains
Pretend
Tenderly
Somewhere Along The Way
Dreams Can Tell A Lie
Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow 

CONCERT/ORATORIO/OPERA REPERTOIRE
Handel’s - Messiah
Mozart - Requiem
Mahler’s - Eines Fahrenden Gessellen
Rossini’s - Stabat Mater
Haydn’s - Stabat  Mater
Beethoven’s - Symphony No9
Mendelsson’s - Elijah
Dvorak Stabat - Mater
Faure - Requiem
Brahms - Vier Ernste Gesange
Dvorak - Messe D-Dur

OPERA ROLES
Figaro - Mozart’s Lenozze De Figaro
Ford - Verdi’s Falstaff
Enrico - Donizetti’s Lucia
Papageno - Mozart’s The Magic Flute
Escamillo - Bizet’s Carmen
Valentine - Gounod’s Faust
Silvio - Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci