Young soprano bound for stardom sinks her teeth into the role of the High Priestess.

Rising soprano Kelebogile Boikanyo says that for black people and youngsters to buy into opera, directors need to “lighten up a little bit” and “bring opera to the audience”.

And she knows what she’s talking about — at the tender age of 20, Boikanyo is part of the new generation of talented South African singers who is set to inject fresh life into opera as we know it.

She is still studying vocal arts at the Tshwane University of Technology, but has landed a role in Opera Africa’s current production of Verdi’s Aida and will be making her international solo debut next year. True to her English name, Pearl, she is poised to become one of the country’s operatic gems.

While in high school, the North West teen was twice voted the national soloist champion in the Tirisano Schools Choral Eisteddfod. Despite that, she initially didn’t consider singing as a career.

“In between the national choir competitions, I would say ‘to hell with singing’ until next year’s competition,” says Boikanyo, laughing.

“It was never a full-time thing for me. But singing always made me happy, and I was more comfortable singing than studying.”

But when, as one of her prizes for acing the competition, she won a full scholarship to study singing, she realised it was a chance of a lifetime. “I got lucky,” she admits. “Most kids would kill for this opportunity.”

Fresh out of school, she went on to perform the title role in Pro Musica’s Gräfin Mariza and sang in Norway in Princess Magogo.

Last year, Opera Africa invited her to join its development programme, where Boikanyo came under the wing of Laurence Dale who, for 20 years, was among the top five tenors in the world.

“He’s been advising me on what to sing, what not to sing, and how to behave in the industry,” she explains. “He makes me want to give more and prove to myself I can do it.” She plays the High Priestess in Aida, which Dale is directing.

This staging of the Egypt-based opera won’t have a single pyramid. “Laurence has tried all means possible to change it,” says Boikanyo. “He wants a sexy High Priestess and I need to have a presence, even when I’m not singing. My outfit is very intimate. It’s all unusual.”

On the strength of his recommendation alone, Dale has secured Boikanyo the role of the nymph Echo in the Richard Strauss opera Ariadne auf Naxos, to be staged at the Liege Opera House in Belgium early next year.

All this for someone still studying — but she remains humble, coming to watch and learn from her fellow singers, even on days when she’s not rehearsing. “No one’s said it will be easy — juggling classes, school productions, exams and shows,” she says. “Sometimes I say to myself: ‘You’re so lucky, girl.’”

Aida is on at the State Theatre, Pretoria, until February 9 and at the Joburg Civic Theatre from March 14 to 22. Tickets range from R109 to R365 at Computicket.

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