DEWALD VON SOLMS, tenor
Dewald von Solms developed a keen interest in singing from an early age, winning a number of eisteddfodau as a young soloist. He studied singing at the University of the Orange Free State, and it was during this time that he was introduced to the world of opera by the late Henti Claassen of PACOFS. He joined the PACOFS chorus and participated in a number of productions: Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Die Zauberflöte, and The Student Prince to name a few. During this period he also attended master classes with Hans van Heerden, Werner Nel and Francis Kipling. Dewald’s first professional role was that of Prince Karl Franz in The Student Prince (Romberg & Donnelly) in TOPAB’s production at the State Theatre.
He joined The Black Tie Ensemble in 2000, and has since performed at many local and international concerts and soirees as a member of the Ensemble. In 2001 Dewald sang the roles of Borsa and the Duke in Rigoletto, the first full-length opera produced by The Black Tie Ensemble. Dewald had a personal success with his portrayal of Pinkerton in The Black Tie Ensemble’s critically acclaimed production of Madama Butterfly at the State Theatre in Pretoria and at the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein during 2002. Dewald also sang the role of Alfredo in The Black Tie Ensemble’s La Traviata (an “Opera in Miniature” production), Alfred in Opera Free State’s Die Fledermaus in Johannesburg in 2002, and Duncan in Opera Africa’s Princess Magogo early in 2003. In 2004 he portrayed the role of Rodolfo in The Black Tie Ensemble’s production of La Bohème and joined other members of the Ensemble on a tour to Austria where they performed in several concerts in Vienna and Graz. Dewald is a recipient in the Adopt an Artist Scheme (Sappi) and still studies vocally with singing teacher, Eric Muller.
