User talk:Levy Strauss Sekgapane

Levy was born in Kroonstad, Free State. He joined community and church choirs from an early age. He joined the Fidentia South African Youth Choir, under the baton of André van der Merwe, and received a bursary to attend Stellenberg High School in Cape Town where he received his first music training in singing and piano with Marianna Marais and Elizabeth Wright. Levy was accepted at the South African College of Music (University of Cape Town) as a double major Bmus student in classical piano and singing. He graduated in 2015 Postgraduate diploma in performance with Hanna van Niekerk and Professor Kamal Khan. Levy took part in masterclasses and lectures by the South African tenor Kobie van Rensburg on early music/Baroque. In 2013 he won first prize in the Mimi Coertse singing competition, first prize in the Schock foundation singing competition. Other solo work included the John Stainer's Crucifixion and Mozart's Requiem in the Cape Town City Hall with the Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town. He was one of the soloists that performed with Bryn Terfyl in concert conducted by Kamal Khan and also one of the soloists who sang for President Barack Obama's visit to UCT. Levy has been a part of the International Choir Academy of Lübeck since 2012 where he was chosen to sing the tenor solo in Bach's St John Passion, with Helmut Rilling. Levy sang a role in Anamchara written for the Commonwealth games Glasgow with Scottish opera in Scotland 2014. He made his professional debut as Don Ramiro in Kobie van Rensburg's production of La Cenerentola in 2014 November, followed by 4th Knappe in Wagner's Parsifal at Theater Chemnitz Germany. He will also appear as Count Almaviva in Kobie van Rensburg's production of Il Barbiere di Seviglia at Mönchengladbach Germany in November 2015. The Jury of The Belvedere Hans Gabor international singing competition awarded Levy first prize included 3 opera engagemnents, which are: Debut Teatro Liceu in Barcelona in Rossini's il viaggio a reims, Wexford festival debut recital and State theater Essen Germany. This was followed by two other big success winning the first Prize at the Montseratt Caballe international singing competition and The (SAMRO) South African Music Rights Organisation scholarship competiton. Levy's freelance career starting immediately after completing one year in Dresden Semperoper Junge ensemble. He made his debut in Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburg State Opera, Aalto Oper Essen, Milan La Verdi Orchestra and Royal Danish opera. During Season 16/17 and 17/18 Levy will make professional debuts with houses such as Teatro dellopera di Roma Italy, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Teatro Liceu Barcelona, Oslo Norway, Teatro Palermo Italy and Paris National Opera Bastille. One of the opera critics in Copenhagen described Levy as one of the best Belcanto tenors of our time, following on the footsteps of Lawrence Brownlee, Juan Diego Florez and Javier Camarena.