Stefan Louw

Stéfan Louw is recognised as one of the leading Lyric tenors in South Africa and has been performing opera across the world since 1999. 

His voice, which, according to The Sunday Times newspaper should be declared a “national treasure” (from a review of his interpretation of Rodolfo in 2005), was first heard in South African opera as Beppe in I Pagliacci, for which he received the prestigious FNB Vita Opera Award for Most Promising Newcomer.

Before this cirtically acclaimed debut, Stéfan performed at the Pretoria State Theatre as an ad-hoc Opera Chorus member, where he received the Chorister of the Year Award in 2000.  During the five years he was a member of the Opera Chorus he sang in more than 20 productions.

Stéfan’s extensive opera experience includes roles such as Alfredo in La Traviata, Barinkay in Der Zigeunerbaron, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Duncan in Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Tonio in La Fille du Regiment, Pang in Turandot, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Radames in Aïda and Rodolfo in La Boheme.

He has also performed the tenor solo roles of Puccini's Messa di Gloria, Handel's Messiah, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as well as Dvorak's Mass in D-major at numerous occasions throughout South Africa and Namibia.

In September 2008 he made his international debut as Pollione in Norma at the Vichy Opera in France, followed by Radames in Aïda at the Dijon Opera in France.  In 2009 he sang the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Cape Town Opera, a critically acclaimed performance which again confirmed this talented South African’s skill and versatility.