South Africa makes opera its own at home as its stars shine abroad

With South African stars shining on the international stage, opera has boomed since racial barriers were scrapped in 1994, drawing in talent from the country's great choral traditions to carve out an important place in a hugely diverse cultural landscape. Much of the change has been driven by the 25-year-old Cape Town Opera that is considered Africa's most successful company. The grandfather of it all is Italian-born Angelo Gobbato, a former singer who co-founded the company five years after apartheid...