Opera music brings comfort from South African student in Germany

The world is distressed, and singing is the only way South African opera music student Ipeleng Kgatle knows how to convey a message of hope, she said in an email from Germany.

Bringing joy from Germany

Kgatle hails from Tembisa township just outside of Kempton Park in Gauteng. An honours graduate at the University of Cape Town, she is in Mannheim, Germany pursuing her masters degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts. Kgatle recorded a video in which she sang an opera piece by Hungarian composer, Franz Lehar.

“With so much time on my hands, singing is the only way I know how to send a message of healing during this pandemic. I hope my singing reaches everyone back home struggling to cope under lockdown. I wanted to portray love and hope through my singing.”

“This piece is from Guiditta by Lehar, composed in the 1930’s. It is a heartfelt song about love, dancing and fun. It’s one of those opera compositions you want to sing when you want to put a smile on people’s faces. People are just anxious and sad, understandably so under the circumstances. The world is at a standstill and we don’t know when we’re gonna get back to our normal lives.”

WATCH: SA student Ipeleng Kgatle sings a Franz Lehar opera composition

As South Africa prepares for level 4 lockdown on May 1, Germans were anxiously welcoming the easing of restrictions so they can be outdoors. The country has by far over 150 000 confirmed cases and a death toll of almost 6000. 

Germany has been under lockdown for two months.

“Almost everything is closed except supermarkets and pharmacies, but people could go outside anytime. Now that it is spring, they’re now in the streets because the sun is out for the first time in weeks, many are outside their houses. I think things are gonna get to normal slowly. Classes are online as the university is still closed and as a singer, music lessons online are not easy, but we have no choice but do it until this pandemic is over,” she said.

The 25-year-old plans to finish her master’s degree and get herself an agent so she can be able to perform and earn money. A few auditions she had lined up were cancelled due to the pandemic. 

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