Sibongile Mngoma has made name for herself as one of the very few completely cross over artists in South Africa. She easily moves from opera to classical to jazz and gospel and she has become a very popular feature in the corporate market. She has won two major awards – The Standard Bank young Artist Award and the FNB Vita Award for best Opera Female Lead.
Born in Soweto, Sibongile Mngoma was described, as a ‘natural diva’. Schooled in kwa-Zulu Natal, she completed a BA degree at the University of Cape Town, and went on to study honours in Drama in Education. Sibongile Mngoma also studied opera at the UCT College of Music and at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Italy, where she was awarded top honours. She was one the finalists in the Rolex Foundation Mentor\Protege programme for 2004\2005 with Jessey Norman. She has performed in all the major opera houses in South Africa with most major orchestras.
Operatic roles include Zandile in Temmingh’s ENOCH PROPHET OF GOD, Clara in Gershwin’s PORGY & BESS, First Boy in Mozart’s MAGIC FLUTE, Mimi in LA BOHEME, Zerlina in Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI, Contessa in Mozart’s LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Donna Elvira in Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI, Michaela in Bizet’s CARMEN, Arbace in Bach’s CATONE IN UTICA, Dido in Purcell’s DIDO AND EANEAS, Didon in Piccinni’s DIDON, Nandi and First lady in Khumalo’s PRINCESS MAGOGO, Idamante in Mozart’s IDOMENEO.
She took part in the Two Nations Celebrate concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She also performed at an international conference in Cannes. She was a soloist in the Johannesburg’s Civic Theatre’s Andrew Lloyd-Webber in Concert series and wrote and performed in the show Woza! – a celebration of SA Musicals. She also presented a Voice/Piano Recital at the State Theatre, Pretoria with Russian pianist Galina Ryjikova.
Oratorio work includes Handel’s Messiah, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Mozart Requiem, Brahms’ Requiem Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Purcell’s Pulcinella, Khumalo’s UShaka kaSenzangakhona in which she was the soprano soloist for the Sony Music CD recording. She also sang with Abel Motsoadi at the Grahamstown Festival, and appeared in the Debut with Mimi. Choral works include solo appearances at the Caltex Massed Choir Festivals, both in Cape Town and Johannesburg, SABC concerts and The Last Night of the Proms in Durban, Pietermaritzburg , Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Her accompaniment options come is various forms:
With: a full band (6 piece); a quartet (4-piece); a trio (3-piece) a piano (this options excludes some of the more up-tempo tunes) OR with backing tracks