Durban’s Sbanisenkosi Mwelase is a man of many talents ‒ a civil engineer by day and an opera singer by night.
And while he has no formal training, he has left audiences mesmerised and spell-bound by his powerful and melodic baritone voice.
Mwelase is the headline act in the Friends of Music Concert at the Jewish Club tomorrow titled Sbani sings Verdi at 2pm. He is looking forward to singing Germont’s scene with Violeta Pura Siccome in angelo from Act 2 of La Traviata.
Affectionately known as Sbani, the Independent on Saturday caught up with him at a job in Kloof. He runs a small construction company specialising in home building solutions.
Born in Nongoma in northern KZN, his interest in music started when he sang in a choir in grade 4 back in 2000. “The choir may have folded soon afterwards, but singing is a passion that has stayed with me ever since.” he said, adding that he had entered many high school competitions and eisteddfods.
He studied civil engineering at DUT, and then went to work with Group Five for four years. Later he started his own company, focussing on the small jobs big conglomerates wouldn’t pick up. “I chose civils because I loved seeing objects come to reality from absolutely nothing. It fascinates me to be part of the production of quality products,” he said.
“From high school I came here to the city, and the city had so much to offer. I had to make choices on what I loved the most, and I loved music. So I told myself I’m going to join adult choirs while studying. The love for music grew. I became fascinated about being on bigger opera stages. I started working on my voice, people complimented my voice, and I gained confidence.”
He said that there was always a gap because he had not trained professionally.
“I had to do something about it because I wanted it this much. I approached a professional coach, Inez ’Nicky’ Russell. We worked for a year, but I had to go to Newcastle for work and she had to go back to London.” He praises the input Russell had on his voice.
The duet Pura Siccome in angelo (pure as an angel) stands out for him because it was how he found Verdi’s music
“Out of all the composers, Verdi stood out to me,” he said. “True, he’s not easy to sing, but his music is too beautiful to resist. When I went to Cape Town to audition for the Germont role in 2019, some panel member said to me, ‘you have timbre for Verdi, you’re a Verdian baritone’. I was so happy to hear those words.
“I realised I had to work more. Music became so therapeutic to me, it made me work on my voice on daily. Today I still work on my voice on my own. It’s there in my mind I have to keep up with my voice. I still fantasise about big stages and I believe if I work harder the doors will open,” Mwelase said.
He manages to balance it all: “With passion and discipline everything just falls into place. It becomes so easy. To me it’s just a normal day. It just happens.”
When he’s not running his own company or working on his own voice, he’s helping others. “I do from time to time work with I Grandi Tenori on their programmes assisting youngsters musically. Community engagement is part of my interest.”
Besides Germont’s scene with Violeta he’s also joining in the grand finale of Act 2 of La Traviata and two scenes from Nabucco ‒ Donna chi sei and Dio di Giuda. He will be joined on stage by sopranos Khayakazi Madlala and Nana Dame, mezzo soprano Busisiwe Shezi, tenor Zamokwakhe Zungu and bass Musa Magwaza with Ashan Peiris on the piano.
Tomorrow’s concert starts at 2pm with doors open from 1pm. Tickets R120 members/ R140 non members from [email protected] or call Bernice, 083 253 7935 or Keith 071 505 1021.
The Independent on Saturday