The following is an article written by Henning Viljoen, and taken from Scenaria magazine (May 1987)
ESTHER MENTZ
Esther Mentz, the wife of Gideon Roos, former Director-General of the SABC [South African Broadcasting Corporation], was a very versatile artist who played a significant role as an opera singer, film and stage actress in the cultural life of South Africa. Miss Mentz had many ‘firsts’ to her credit. She played in the first full-length Afrikaans film Donker Spore [Dark Tracks], sang the title role in the first Afrikaans production of Carmen, and played in the first Afrikaans Shakespearian production of Hamlet.
Esther Mentz was born in Edenville in the Orange Free State on 8 January 1911. Her interest and love for music and the theatre was stimulated as a child because she had to sing, play the piano, and read plays to her blind father. After she completed her school education at Edenville she enrolled at the Stellenbosch Conservatoire of Music in 1929. She obtained the ULM Diploma in Singing under Margaret Wandelt, and the LCM Elocution Teacher's Diploma, while she also took courses in pianoforte and organ. From 1932 to 1934 she taught singing and served as a church organist in Franschhoek and Cape Town. It was during this period that she met her husband Gideon Roos at an Eisteddfod in Cape Town, although they only got married in 1938 after they returned from their further studies overseas.
In 1934 Miss Mentz furthered her studies in singing and acting in Berlin. She studied singing with Prof Grenzebach and Marcella Röseler. During her stay in Berlin her song recitals were broadcast from Berlin, Hamburg, London and Brussels. After her return to South Africa in 1937 she was actively involved in the pioneer productions of Afrikaans theatre, opera, and broadcasting, as well as the first efforts at making films in Afrikaans.
She made her opera debut as Micaela in a production of Carmen conducted by John Connell in 1941. This was followed in 1946 with her performing the title role in Carmen in the first production of an opera in Afrikaans, together with Cyril Evans (Don José), Saline Koch (Micaela), Chris Lessing (Escamillo) and Victor Ivanhoff (Zuniga). Miss Mentz’s husband Gideon Roos translated the opera into Afrikaans and it was produced by Ossip Runitsch and conducted by John Connell. The production, especially Miss Mentz’s performance, was highly acclaimed by the press: “Esther Mentz made a spirited and attractive
Carmen. The fatal charmer, as she passed from one lover to the next, was sometimes coy, but always provocative and dangerous. She used her voice well, singing with musical and seductive charm.” – (Daily Mail). “Esther Mentz lacked nothing in fascination… she performed her part with convincing fire and passion and brought a fine quality of drama into the last act, which was more than usually moving.” – (The Star).
Miss Mentz also sang the two roles of Antonia and Giulietta in the Afrikaans production of The Tales of Hoffmann with Cyril Evans (Hoffmann), Saline Koch (Olympia), and Jean Gluckman (Nicklausse). The opera was conducted by Michael Dore and produced by Olga Ryss and Francis Russel. She also sang Venus in Tannhäuser (Wagner). Apart from broadcasting recitals, Miss Mentz also performed in various operettas such as The Waltz Dream, Frederika, The Count of Luxembourg, The Merry Widow, and Gypsy Love.
Her career as a film actress started with the leading role in the film version of Langenhoven’s thriller Donker Spore [Dark Tracks] by Utolo Films in 1944, co-starring Gideon Roos and the well-known radio personality Jan Schutte. This was followed by various other films such as Pinkie se Erfenis [Pinkie’s Inheritance] with Pierre de Wet and Gert van den Berg, Plan is ‘n Boerdery [Plan is a Farm], and Vadertjie Langbeen [Daddy Longlegs].
Esther Mentz will, however, also be remembered for her contribution to Afrikaans theatre. She played leading roles in plays such as Die Skoonheids Dokter [The Beauty Doctor], Die Kerkmuis [The Church-Mouse], Eindeksamen [Final Exam], Hamlet, as well as NP van Wyk Louw’s Nie vir Geleerdes [Not for the Educated] on the occasion of the Union Festival in 1960.
Miss Mentz was actively involved in various organisations fostering an interest in opera and the development of opera. She was a founder member of Alessandro Rota’s National Opera Association until it ceased to exist after the creation of PACT [Performing Arts Council of Transvaal]. She then became a member of PACT’s Opera Committee. She was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Johannesburg Musical Society.
Miss Mentz was the first singing teacher of the famous South African soprano Emma Renzi.
The home environment created by Miss Mentz and her husband reflected an enthusiastic participation in various cultural activities. This background served as stimulus for their daughter Talitha who later became a successful prima ballerina at the Opera House in Graz. Esther Mentz’s sudden and tragic death during a visit to America on 19 November 1986 left a void in the cultural circles of South Africa.
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The following is extracted from Volume III of the 1986 edition of South African Music Encyclopedia (J.P. Malan, ISBN 0 19 570363 4)
ESTHER MENTZ (Mrs Gideon Roos), soprano, born 8 January 1911 in Edenville, died 19 November 1986 in the USA
Esther Mentz completed her school education at Edenville and then obtained the ULM diploma in singing under Margaret Wandelt and the LCM elocution teachers' diploma, while also taking courses in pianoforte and organ, at the Stellenbosch Conservatoire of Music (1929-31). Until 1934 she taught singing and served as a church organist in Franschhoek and Cape Town, but then she left for Berlin for further instructions in singing and acting (1934-37). During these years programmes of her song recitals were broadcast from Berlin, Hamburg, London and Brussels.
After her return to South Africa she was enthusiastically concerned with the beginnings of Afrikaans theatre, opera productions and with the first efforts at making Afrikaans films. Thus she played leading roles in Afrikaans productions staged in the Arts Theatre in Johannesburg, but also sang opera roles in John Connell's opera endeavours. She sang the title role in the first Afrikaans production of Carmen (1946) and the two parts of Giulietta and Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann. At various times she was also approached to interpret roles in operettas such as The Waltz Dream, Frederika, The Count of Luxembourg, The Merry Widow, Gipsy Love and others. Her connection with the Afrikaans film industry started with Langenhoven's Donker Spore [Dark Tracks] and was continued in Vadertjie Langbeen [Daddy Longlegs] and other productions. At the time of the Union Festival in 1960 she had a leading role in Van Wyk Louw's Nie Vir Geleerdes Nie [Not for the Educated], a comedy which had been especially written for the occasion.
Esther Mentz was a foundation member of Alexander Rota's National Opera Association until it ceased to exist after the creation of PACT. She then became a member of the Executive of the Johannesburg Musical Society.
