Johan Botha

Johan Botha (19 August 1965 – 8 September 2016) was a South African operatic tenor.

Life and career Born in Rustenburg, South Africa, Botha began his vocal training with Jarmila Tellinger from the age of 10 through 17. He then served for two years in the South African Air Force before pursuing further studies in Pretoria with Eric Muller. His voice initially was trained as a bass-baritone and his first opera performance was portraying the title role in a student production of Verdi's Falstaff. As his studies progressed under Muller his voice moved towards that of a tenor. In 1990 he moved to Europe and became a longtime pupil of Irmgard Hartmann. After that, he performed at leading opera venues around the world such as the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera which made him a Kammersänger in 2003, Opera Australia, Royal Opera House (London), La Scala and the Salzburg Festival.

He died of liver cancer on 8 September 2016 at the age of 51. At the time of his death Botha lived in Vienna, Austria, with his wife Sonja and two sons. A black flag was flown by the Vienna State Opera as a sign of mourning. He was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery.

Recordings Johan Botha is the most recorded South African opera singer in history:

d'Albert: Tiefland under Bertrand de Billy (2006) Oehms OC 312 Dvořák: Stabat Mater (2001) Charles Koechlin: The Jungle Book (1994) The Puccini Experience (1995) Mahler Symphony No. 8 under Boulez and Bertrand de Billy Puccini: Turandot under Gergiev (DVD) Richard Strauss: Daphne under Bychkov Richard Strauss: Elektra under Barenboim Richard Strauss: Friedenstag under Sinopoli Richard Strauss: Taillefer Verdi: Aida under Gatti (DVD) Verdi: Requiem under Sinopoli Wagner: Lohengrin under Bychkov Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg under Thielemann(DVD) Wagner: Tannhäuser under James Levine at Met (2015). Wagner: Tristan und Isolde under Barenboim Wagner: The Duet Scenes (Tristan und Isolde) under Bertrand de Billy Wagner: Die Walküre under Thielemann (CD and DVD) Ioan Holender Farewell Concert (Gala from the Vienna State Opera) (DVD) Italian Arias (2001) Wagner Tenor Arias Vienna State Opera Gala (DVD) Wiener Staatsoper Live: Beethoven | Wagner | Strauss (issued Feb 2017, Orfeo International CD)