People of Note

A recent visitor to Cape Town was the pianist Rebeca Omordia who is a mix of many things – a love for western classical music, a passion for Nigerian classical music and a particular love of African Art Music. The BBC hailed her as An African Music pioneer and she demonstrated her art at a recital for the Cape Town Concert Series a week or so ago. Rodney Trudgeon invited her into the People of Note studio to talk about her fascination for the African Art Song as opposed to traditional African music. People of Note – Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP

Excitement is mounting for the opening of Cape Town Opera's lavish production of Verdi's grand Opera Aida on Friday 23 May. In fact, by all accounts, the entire run is very nearly sold out. Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Magdalene Minnaar who is directing the opera and who has chosen an intriguing African Futuristic approach. People of Note, Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP.

On People of Note this week Mike Mills stands in for Rodney Trudgeon, and Mike's guest is three time Grammy award winning flautist Wouter Kellerman. People of Note is on Sunday at 6 pm with a repeat on Thursday at 12 noon. Brought to you by Pieter Toerien Productions

Pieter Toerien's Theatre on the Bay will be the venue for an exciting and vibrant new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's evergreen musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It is being presented by Lamta and has an all-star, young and enthusiastic cast. The musical director for the show is award-winning Amy Campbell and Rodney Trudgeon invited her into the People f Note studio to talk about what sounds like a thrilling production as well as about her own life as a jazz vocalist, pianist, vocal coach and actress. People of Note – Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP.

Cape Town opera is presenting one of the grandest operas in the repertoire, Verdi's AIDA. It opens on the 23rd May directed by Magdalene Minnaar who will unveiling bold African Futurism reimagining of the opera. Part of the huge team putting the opera together is BRENDA REIN who is in Cape Town as opera coach for the production. On People of Note this week, Rodney Trudgeon spoke to Brenda about her unique role and about her distinguished career in Vienna with people like Deon van der Walt and Johann Botha.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is a multi-award winning composer, choir conductor, instrumentalist and producer whose musical voice has come to be recognizable as truly innovative and unique. Pieter Bezuidenhout is also the creative director at a South African base production company, Vektor Productions and he is the conductor of 5 choral ensembles across Tshwane. He is commited to developing the South African choral genre and has premierd more than 70 new works by South African Composers. Pieter Bezuidenhout on People of Note this week. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PtP

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is someone who can really be called a veteran of radio, television, theatre and variety shows. Anne Williams was one of the first continuity announcers on SABC television back in the 70s and she has broadcast on5FM, SAfm, LM Radio and Classic FM. Now Anne is back on stage for the first time in many years in the Agatha Christie play Black coffee which is pulling the crowds at the Theatre on The Bay. Rodney discussed her many faceted career and her role in Black Coffee. Anne Williams of People of Note this week. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP.

An exciting Agatha Christie thriller has just opened at Theatre on the Bay. It's called Black Coffee and, as always with Agatha Christie, you'll be guessing right to the end with all the usual red herrings. The play is directed by Alan Swerdlow with Allan Committee as Hercule Poirot and Ashley Dowds is Captain Hastings. I spoke to Ashley on People of Note this week to find out more about this play and its large cast, and we were careful not to give anything away. People of Note. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PtP

On People of Note this week concentrates on ballet and the forthcoming production by Cape Ballet Africa called Breathwords. One of the chorographers for this varied production is the Master Spaniard Nacho Duato who enjoys an international career. His work in Breathwords is called Ramanso which features 3 male dances and with Gerard Joubert as the pianist. Rodney Trudgeon spoke to Nacho about his distinguished career and about Romanso. People of Note with Nacho Duato. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PtP

On People of Note this week, Rodney Trudgeon talks to Paige Nick who, apart from being the editor and host of FMR's Book Choice programme, is an internationally awarded advertising copywriter, a Sunday Times Columnist and has published nine, soon to be ten novels. Paige is passionate about books and reading and she has fascinating stories to tell about the world of literature.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Clive Ridgway who is a songwriter, musician, music producer, author and teacher. He has composed songs for many of South Africa's most successful recording artists and has performed both locally and internationally. He also runs the Cape Town School of Songwriting and the AFDA School for the Creative Economy.

On People of Note Rodney Trudgeon talks to ALEX GABRIEL who was appointed a few years ago as CEO of Cape Town opera. As a musician in his own right and with years of experience combining art with business, Alex is well-equipped to drive decision making to ensure a prosperous future for Cape Town Opera. He spent 8 years teaching at UCT and also taught piano privately. We also discuss some of the plans Cape Town Opera has for this year.

An extremely interesting and original book on Mozart has just been published. It's called “Meetings With Mozart” and is written by William Charlton-Perkins who for many years was well known in theatre and media circles in KwaZulu Natal. He was head of publicity at the Playhouse Company in Durban and has had a life long love of the music of Mozart. His debut book presents us with an original and fascinating angle on Mozart And makes for interesting reading.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Hans Huyssen - composer, baroque cellist and conductor with a special love for early European Baroque music as well as rare traditions of indigenous South African music. Last year Hans turned sixty and to celebrate he has been involved in what he calls his 60@60 Project. Many performers both local and international have been involved and on People of Note, Hans spoke about his compositions and his fascinating life.

This week on People of Note, Rodney Trudgeon will be talking to ALBIE SACHS, the South African lawyer, activist, writer and former judge who was appointed by Nelson Mandela to the first Constitutional Court of South Africa. Albie, who has just celebrated his 90th birthday, famously survived an assassination attempt in 1988 and lost his right arm and the sight in his left eye.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is the distinguished South African flautist Liesl Stolz who not only lectures Flute at UCT but has a very busy life playing chamber music, solo works and she's played in all the major orchestras in South Africa as guest principal. Liesl has also launched the first Woodwind Festival in South Africa which takes place from the 8 – 11 April at the Baxter Theatre. Her passion for the flute and music is most infectious and she is also a great ambassador for South African flute music. Liesl Stoltz on People of Note this week. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP.

A fascinating new CD has just arrived here at FMR featuring the world premier of a cello concerto by Widor, coupled with the Lalo Cello Concerto. There is a fascinating story about the Widor concerto which has been re-constructed from fragments by the cellist Graham Du Plessis who is the soloist on the recording. Graham is based in Cape Town and is a Cello Lecturer at the South African College of Music and occasionally plays with our orchestra. Graham will be my guest on People of Note this week. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PTP.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note was Adrienne Haan who is hailed as an exceptional song interpreter with a grand voice and an entertainer of the highest calibre. Adrienne tours internationally with her show Tehorah in which she commemorates the Holocaust. Now she has brought this show to South Africa along with other productions such as a lecture on Degenerate Music and an evening of French Chanson. Adrianne will feature her songs during People of Note. Brought to you by Pieter Toerien Productions

On the first edition of People of Note for 2025, we'll be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Cape Town Concert Series which is an integral part of Cape Town's music scene, featuring as it does some of this country's finest musicians as well as international artists, all of whom are superb chamber musicians. I invited Louise Howlett, the General Manager of the Cape Town Concert Series into the studio to talk about the history and current activities of the Society. People of Note with Louise Howlett. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday . Brought to you by PTP

The Pieter Toerien production of My Fair Lady is proving to be incredibly popular and is playing to packed houses. And, rightly so because it is an epic production in every way. Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Mark Richardson who plays the iconic role of Alfred P Doolittle in a true tour de force which brings the house down!

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Patric Solomon, who is the Executive Director of Molo Songololo, a registered and designated non profit organisation that promotes the rights and protection of children. It also facilitates children's participation in public decision making.

This week on People of Note, Rodney Trudgeon will be talking to David Watkyns, a singer-songwriter, producer, teacher, actor and SAMA Award winner. David's songs are often described as nostalgic, catchy melodies with soaring lyrics, and his solo album No Other Love won him a SAMA Award in the category Best Produced Album. David is also known for his performances with Arno Carstens and the Springbok Nude Girls.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is the South African born viola player, educator and philanthropist Louise Lansdown who is serving as Head of Strings at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and Professor of Viola at the Yehudi Menuhin school. Louise also directs two major viola competitions in the UK and has been in Cape Town to play principal viola with the Mzanzi National Orchestra.

One of the undoubted highlights of the forthcoming festive season is the Pieter Toerien production of My Fair Lady, the musical that for years has been a huge favourite. Craig Urbani will play Professor Henry Higgins and the role of Eliza Doolittle is being shared by Brittany Smith and Leah Mari. Rodney Trudgeon spoke to both Elizas for People of Note this week. My Fair Lady opens on the 18th of December at the Artscape Opera House.

Rodney Trudgeon's People of Note this week features an inspiring conversation with Bernado Oostehuizen, a former addict who has transformed his life and now dedicates himself to helping others do the same. As the head of the West Coast Skills Centre, Bernado equips individuals with essential skills to build a brighter future, making his story a powerful testament to resilience, hope, and the impact of giving back.

People of Note this week takes the form of a tribute to one of South Africa's most distinguished singers and singing teachers. A year ago Rodney Trudgeon spoke to Sarita Stern about her long career and about her recently published book. Sarita died recently and so we've decided to rebroadcast that interview in which she talks about her career and the tragedy that struck her as she was about to make her debut in Carmen.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is the young South African composer Braam Du Toit. Braam is also a choral conductor and is the recipient of a number of awards and accolades He stated he has "always been interested in combining music with other art forms," and that he finds "the reciprocal influence between music, visuals and performance intriguing and exciting."

An exciting new play has opened at the Theatre on the Bay. It's called My Brilliant Divorce, written by Geraldine Aron and stars Kate Normington. It's a one woman show during which Kate has to take many other parts and it's described as a tragic/comic exploration in the world of a newly divorced woman after 20 years of marriage with searing humour, slapstick comedy self-analysis and drama.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Maria Du Toit, the South African and also now Dutch clarinettist who is internationally in demand as a soloi8st and Chamber musician. Maria was principal clarinet with the Cape Philharmonic, before marrying the Dutch conductor Arjan Tien and moving to Holland. In the previous symphony season, Maria was here to perform two 20th century Clarinet Concerts by the South African composers David Earl and Conrad Assman. Maria speaks passionately about these works which will be broadcast here on FMR next Thursday the 30th.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is a man who is something of an institution in Afrikaans music. Jannie Du Toit is a singer songwriter who has had a long and distinguished career in the world of music. He enjoyed a 25 year collaboration with the accompanist Christa Steyn and has been won numerous awards. He remains hugely involved in shows and composing with a long list of productions on the go at the moment.

A new ballet company here in Cape Town is called Cape Ballet Africa and they've just had their inaugural season at the Baxter called SALT. Diane van Schoor has been appointed Guest Teacher and Patron of the new company and she brings a life of experience as a ballet dancer and now teacher who has won many awards, including the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Cecchetti Council of America.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Clive Ridgway who is a songwriter, musician, music producer, author and teacher. He has composed songs for many of South Africa's most successful recording artists and has performed both locally and internationally. He also runs the Cape Town School of Songwriting and the AFDA School for the Creative Economy

David Kramer's hugely successful musical Orpheus in Africa is being repeated at the Artscape Theatre and David has reworked it to be produced with Cape Town Opera. It's now called Orpheus McAdoo and stars Brittany Smith and Conroy Scott with the Cape Town Opera Chorus and opens on 18 October. Rodney Trudgeon invited David Kramer into the People of Note studio to talk about this exciting project.

A book which is proving to be invaluable to lovers of contemporary music in South Africa is called History of Contemporary Music of South Africa. Similar to an encyclopaedia, the book has a wealth of information on artists, bands, composers and performers with many photographs. It was written by Garth Chilvers and Tom Jasiukowicz and I invited Garth Chilvers to the People of Note studio to discuss how he went about researching and putting the book together.

The fascinating way our ears operate is the subject of this week's People of Note. I'll be talking to James Loock, Professor of ENT at Tygerberg Hospital, and Jenny Perold an audiologist also at Tygerberg about the remarkable technology of Cochlear Implants, that allows severely and profoundly deaf people to hear again.

Four of the concerts in the current symphony season with the Cape Town Philharmonic are being conducted by the Dutch conductor Arjan Tien. Arjan is no stranger to South Africa and, apart from the concerts he's conducting, he is one of the judges of the 6th SA Conductor's Competition. Arjan has selected an unusual and very interesting series of programmes for the season and Rodney trudgeon invited him to the People of note studio to discuss his concerts, which include the might Mahler 7th.

Opera UCT is going to be the first opera company in the world to present a fully staged performance of a lost opera by Donizetti, Dalinda. The score was only discovered in 2019 and has been meticulously reconstructed As my guest on People of Note this week, the conductor Jeremy Silver will explain. Jeremy is globally recognised for conducting lesser-known Donizetti masterpieces and he was especially selected by Opera Co-Pro to bring the full opera to life in a world premier right here in Cape Town.

I wonder if you remember the name Gordon Oliver. Among other things he was Mayor of Cape Town from 1989 to 1991 during which he was privileged to welcome Nelson Mandela to the Cape Town City Hall the day he was released from prison. He also took part in the famous September 1989 march in Cape Town. Gordon has written a book called Overcoming Life's Challengers – a personal memoir of a Cape Town Mayor and I invited him into the People of Note studio to talk about his life which includes being a minister in the Unitarian Church.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is Adele Kirsten, who is the director of a Gun Free South Africa. Adele was a founding member of Gun Free South Africa, but she has been a non-violent, social justice activist in South Africa for some 40 years and has also written various books on the subject.

Tennessee Williams's famous play, A Street Car Named Desire will open at the Theatre on the Bay on the 14th August. It is being presented by Lamta – The Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy who's recent success with Spring Awakening brought the amazing success story of this company to a wide audience. The director of Streetcar is Prof Christopher Weare and I invited him to the People of Note studio to talk about this iconic play .

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is a South African academic currently working in Norway. Alene Mari Holder is a writer, musicologist and opera singer and her interests include feminist studies of 17th and 18th Century opera including the operatic trouser role tradition and on cross gender casting in Vivaldi's operas. Alene is also an Afrikaans novelist and poet.

One of the most dramatic of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas is The Yeoman of The Guard, which is set in the Tower of London in the 16th Century. It was premiered in London in 1888 and ran for a record 423 performances causing it to be called a true English, Dramatic Opera. G&S Cape Town will be staging this opera at the Artscape Opera House from 10 August and I invited the music director and Production Co-ordinator, ALISTAIR COCKBURN into the People of Note studio to talk about the production.

Agatha Christie's play Witness to the Prosecution is pulling in the crowds at Theatre on the Bay. And rightly so because not only is it a superb play, but it is an excellent production with a large cast. In this week's edition of People of Note, Rodney Trudgeon spoke to a member of the cast, Sharon Spiegel Wagner who plays the role of Romaine Vole, the wife of the accused. Sharon talks about how thrilling it is to be in the play and about the wonderful cast, as well as her many other activities in theatre.

Rodney Trudgeon's guest on People of Note this week is the South African based documentary photographer, author and professional speaker Matthew Wilman who, in 2003 was commissioned to archive and document the life and times of Nelson Mandela for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. This allowed him to develop an intimate relationship with Mandela. But Matthew has also published a beautiful book of black and white photographs of ballet dances in unusual industrial settings.

My guest on People of Note this week, is a doctor who has written a book called Ice Cream – A Doctor's Journey to Discover what Matters. This is an engaging memoir about the highs and lows of working as a medical doctor in South Africa and how, with a little help from ice cream and heavy metal music, he was able to struggle on. He's Alistair Mcalpine and you may find his choice of music a little unusual for FMR, but he was insistend that we gave him a chance.

One of those irresistible Agatha Christie murder mysteries is about to open at the Theatre on The Bay. Witness for the Prosecution is in the form of a gripping court room drama, leaving the audience gasping with surprises as the case proceeds. The director is Alan Swerdlow and Rodney Trudgeon spoke to him on People of Note about both the difficulties and the fun of directing one of Christie's mysteries.