She won the Song Prize at the 2021 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. She also performs at the 2023 BBC Proms. What else do we know about the rising soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha?
What nationality is Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha?
She is from South Africa - a compatriot of the soprano Pretty Yende, who performed at King Charles's Coronation.
Where was she born?
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha was born in South Africa's Limpopo province.
How old is Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha?
The opera singer was born on 4 November 1993.
What have been Masabane's career highlight to date?
In a January 2023 interview, Masabane told us that her proudest moment to date was singing Verdi’s Requiem for the First Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 2022.
Who are her musical heroes?
In that same interview, Masabane told us:
'There are so many musicians that I look up to and learn from. Two in particular, however, are soprano Jessye Norman and conductor Antonio Pappano.'
What would be her dream concert to perform?
'I have two separate dreams, for opera and concert,' Masabane told us.
'My opera dream would be to sing a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. My dream concert is to perform at the BBC Last Night of the Proms, as it is so joyous and fun.'
Is Masabane married?
She is in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend.
What are Masabane's hobbies?
In her spare time, Masabane enjoys cycling and playing tennis.
When did Masabane start singing?
She started singing at school and church when still quite young. She later completed her Postgraduate Diploma at the University of Cape Town, studying with Virginia Davids, and took a BTech in Vocal Art (Performance) with Kiewiet Pali at Tshwane University of Technology.
After that, Masabane was a Young Artist with Cape Town Opera for two years, singing First Lady in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Mother of Mandela in Michael Williams, Peter Louis van Dijk and Mike Campbell's Mandela Trilogy, and Serena in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
Where else has she performed?
Later, in London, Masabane joined the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme for the 2019/20 Season, performing in, among others, Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915.
In 2019 Masabane also sang soprano solo in Verdi's Requiem, while in autumn 2021 she joined the ensemble of Bern Staatsoper for a two-year period.