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The First Twenty-two Years; 2. Horowitz Conquers the World; 3. An Early Retirement; 4. The Triumphant Return; 5. The Second Coming; 6. My First Visit With the Maestro; 7. The Greatest Paws in the World; 8. Horowitz Decides to Visit Juillard; 9. Horowitz and Schumann Merge; Getting the Right tempo; The Cocktail Pianist; Horowitz Talks Music; From Draness to Light; Hanging by a Thread; The Perfect Encore; Off to Russia; The Concert Heard Around the World; A Presidential Invitation; A Recital in the White House; Mozart in My Life; The Search for the Perfecte Cadenza; The ArmWrestling Champ; The Bow-Tie Award; The Rubinstein Rivalry; Listening With Trepidation; The Horowitz Icon; On Old Age; Horowitz and Rock-and-Roll; The Noblest Spirit of Them All; The Little B; Horowitz and I Dine Alone; Scaling the Ivory Tower; Murray Perahia Plays for Horowitz; The Composer Comes First; The Five Hundred Dollar Bet; The ,th Piano; The primary aim of this study is therefore the investigation, scientific documentation and reconstruction of the development of Nellie du Toit s career as singer in South Africa, with secondary focus on her teaching career.

Hopefully this study can contribute to at least a more detailed inscription in a future South African Music Encyclopaedia. This study therefore also aims at describing the career of one of South Africa s greatest twentieth century sopranos for the benefit of future generations of South African singers, in the conviction that they will be inspired by the example set by Nellie du Toit.

As the aim and contents of this study pertain to the discipline known as historical musicology, it is not possible to formulate hypotheses in the style of systematic musicology. Qualitative musical parameters are also not measurable in the style of parameters of disciplines in the natural sciences. A probable hypothesis can be stated though: Secondly Dr Du Toit s personal collection of source material was made available.

This included some programmes, an ordered journal of press clippings from her first operetta to her early career following her studies, as well as a container of press clippings, telegrams, and some letters relating to the rest of her career. Unidentified press clippings from this source will be referred to in the Bibliography as Nellie du Toit's private collection of press clippings.

Other primary sources included interviews with family members, colleagues and musicians who had been Dr Du Toit s contemporaries. Further sources, in the form of recorded interviews and performances, were obtained from the SABC Archives. Secondary sources include magazine articles and post graduate theses on related topics. Books and memoirs on the historical aspects of opera in the latter half of the twentieth century in South Africa that were consulted were: Then the press clippings made available by her were photocopied, rearranged chronologically and systematically incorporated in files and sub-folders.

Additional concert and opera programmes had to be collected from various sources, since few were initially available from Dr Du Toit, who could retrieve the greater part of these at a late stage of the study. The programmes were arranged chronologically and collected in files. Undated programmes, separately filed, were compared with press reviews and articles in order to gauge their dates.

From this preliminary compilation of basic material a chronological chart was drawn up with every singing activity listed with date, place and co-artists involved. This assisted with the reconstruction of the broad historical overview, which in due course was supplemented with further facts obtained from subject related books and from additional newspaper clippings from i.

A chronological chart was drawn up of all operas presented by the four Provincial Arts Councils. Operas in which Nellie du Toit performed were printed in bold font, citing also the conductor and producer of each opera season. This chart could only be completed by using the method of cross-reference to different sources in order to determine in which operas Du Toit sang. This was helpful in ordering events chronologically and in viewing them in the historical context of the period being researched.

For this purpose the researcher also visited Durban and Johannesburg, where the archives of the SABC were searched for recordings and radio interviews made with Nellie du Toit. This fact made this study topic feasible. However, subjectivity can be a problem in any scientific study, and great care had to be exercised to maintain an objective approach in this study of the career of a person who is still alive. Because Nellie du Toit s career as a singing teacher is still ongoing and therefore not yet wholly part of the historical past, it had to receive much less attention in this study.

Aspects resorting to the discipline of vocal pedagogy such as analysis of her teaching method s were not deemed relevant in terms of the historiographical character of this study. With regard to research and work problems: Numerous undated press clippings had to be studied in comparison with available programmes in order to ascertain the correct chronology. A similar problem was encountered with undated programmes.

Many of these did state the date, but lacked the year of the performance or both. This seems to have been a common emission in concert programmes until the late s.

Since Dr Du Toit could retrieve many programmes only during the latter half of the researcher s study, the verification of certain performance dates and complementary information proved to be a challenge. In compiling an overview of all operas produced by the Arts Councils in the years of Du Toit s operatic career, it was difficult to obtain complete information from these councils or what is left of them , because they had gradually been disbanded in the mid- to late nineties before the onset of this study.

A personal view, which lists i. Information had to be obtained through personal interviews with different persons. The general layout and content-presentation of this thesis initially posed some problems. The question of whether the content should be presented chronologically or according to genre was initially a problematic one. It was decided to adhere to a chronological order in the first four chapters. Nellie du Toit made important contributions to opera since the inception of the Arts Councils in , but her concert career also continued parallel to this.

This fact influenced the decision to give a chronological account per genre for the s and s respectively, instead of running a strict chronological thread throughout the history of her career. With reference to these two decades her opera activities are therefore dealt with first, followed by a chronological delineation of her other singing activities and teaching.

The years from to were covered in one chapter. This comprises mainly her academic career, her other singing activities after the end of her opera career and her comeback to the opera stage in The author also considered it necessary to incorporate verbatim extracts from important press reviews in the discourse. Afrikaans critiques had to be translated into English, thereby sometimes losing the exactness and original character.

Some of the most important Afrikaans reviews were then placed in a special addendum for cross-reference. Nellie du Toit s private container of press clippings as well as her journal of press clippings were regarded as primary sources although most clippings are without indication of newspaper title, or author, or precise date and mostly without page number.

The verification of these details by means of research in the National Library of South Africa proved to be a too time consuming and a nearly impossible task. Articles with unknown authors are therefore found in the Bibliography under Unidentified author. Undated articles were matched with programmes and performances and given an approximate year, stating in brackets that the date is assumed. Opera titles in this thesis were always given in the language in which they were originally set to music.

Chapter 1 describes Du Toit s childhood and youth in the Transvaal. Chapter 2 delineates her studies at the College of Music in Cape Town and includes a list of operas sung in those three years. Chapter 3 describes her early professional years, first in England, then back in South Africa where she undertook her first big tour with the tenor Marcel Wittrisch, her Vienna interlude and her final return to South Africa. In Chapter 4 the development of Du Toit s early career in South Africa is described up until the formation of the Arts Councils in Operas sung for the different opera associations, as well as other singing activities, teaching and family commitments are discussed.

Chapter 5 describes Du Toit s opera career in the s, since the inception of the Arts Councils, culminating in her sensational success in Lucia di Lammermoor in Chapter 6 deals with her singing commitments in the s in genres other than opera. It shortly mentions her teaching activities in these years. Chapter 7 consists of a chronological survey of Du Toit s opera career from to and a list of her Nederburg Opera Awards at the end. Chapter 8 focuses on her singing activities in the seventies, starting with the Second Worldwide Madame Butterfly Competition in Japan.

Chapter 9 is a delineation of Dr Du Toit s academic teaching activities from until , her private teaching activities up to the present day listing students who distinguished themselves as well as some sporadic singing activities and awards. Du Toit s unexpected come-back cum farewell to the opera stage in in the role of the Marschallin in Strauss Der Rosenkavalier is discussed. Chapters 4 to 9, which describe the most important years of her singing career, end with summaries.

Chapter 10 documents the views of co-artists on Du Toit s artistry and personality. The conclusions of this thesis are drawn in Chapter Her father, Chris H. During that time he received violin lessons from Hans Endler, the Director of the Stellenbosch Conservatoire of Music. He played the piano and could improvise very well. She had a fine natural voice and was a good pianist. The two Du Toit sisters played the piano whereas their brother played the violin Du Toit , a, b. Growing up on a farm, Nellie du Toit recalls that in her early childhood she was a wild little one who loved climbing trees.

As they lived twenty miles from town, the whole family would set out on Saturdays on their weekly expedition to town for music lessons, which included piano as well as theory. Johanna du Toit, who was very fond of music, only started taking music lessons as an adult, because she never had the opportunity in her youth. She finally obtained several Licentiates in singing. When she played the harmonium during family devotions, her daughter Nellie sat at her knees, treading the pedals Du Toit Nellie du Toit began her primary school education in on Waterval Farm School where her father was teaching.

At the age of seven she started with piano lessons and at the age of eight won a prize in singing at an eisteddfod in Pietersburg. She had seemingly inherited her natural singing voice from her mother, who coached her with the interpretation of the songs Du Toit b. In her career Nellie du Toit was to contribute - amongst others - towards the ideals of the FAK by her performance of opera, oratorio and songs in Afrikaans. However, she never had any formal vocal training before she was seventeen.

She sang for the sheer joy of singing Du Toit b. In the Du Toit family moved to Potgietersrus where Johanna du Toit became a piano and singing teacher. She also performed as a singer, though never professionally Du Toit a. Chris du Toit taught English at the Potgietersrus High School where his daughter started her secondary schooling, presumably in Du Toit b.

In her last year at high school, she made her singing debut in the Pretoria City Hall on 24 April in the school operetta Prinses Pirliwinkie, in which she sang the leading role. Helena Strauss, a well-known contralto and choral trainer, directed the operetta Du Toit An unidentified review mentions that most of the solo voices were on the weak side [but that] we found a promising little singer that interpreted the main role Unidentified author For Nellie du Toit, the promising little singer who was endowed with a natural voice, it was quite obvious that she wanted to become a professional singer and she did everything to the best of her abilities to achieve this goal.

Her mind was set to study music, with emphasis on singing. Du Toit s piano playing, however, was of such a standard that, at times, she had thought of becoming a concert pianist. However, she later considered her playing not really good enough for a career as pianist Du Toit In Pretoria, Owen Rorke 5 became her piano teacher. After his death she continued her piano lessons with Iva Dumaresq.

She had made an intensive study of the piano for nine years before embarking on her formal tertiary studies Du Toit 6. Conductor and music teacher. Ek was mal daaroor. Ek het vieruur in die oggend opgestaan om te oefen. Maar die klem het later op die sang geval Du Toit a. My father did not think a woman should study, but he saw that I was interested 7 Du Toit Their mother used to say: If you [truly] want to, then you can do it 8. She strongly believed that one should use one s God-given talent to serve others, and raised her family according to this credo Gaerdes a. Her father s viewpoint demonstrates that Du Toit had an upbringing thoroughly embedded in early twentieth century Afrikaner cultural beliefs.

The fact that the Du Toits held family devotions huisgodsdiens in their home, during which the customary Calvinistic psalms and Protestant hymns accompanied on the harmonium were sung, also demonstrates that the religious music of the Afrikaner had an important influence on this family s musical culture 9. Following her mother s beliefs, Nellie du Toit probably also inherited her strong willpower and dedication to her family. This enabled her to accomplish her own ideals. During the war years, for instance, Pretoria had an Afrikaans Music Club, which was under the auspices of Nunez Holtzhausen, a coloratura soprano who was known as the nightingale of the Transvaal.

The concerts for this music club took place in the Voortrekker Memorial Hall Records were becoming more readily available in the late forties; however, Du Toit could not make much use of that medium because the negative economic impact of the past-war years was still tangible Both local and international musicians were given the opportunity to be made known to the public Van den Berg Ons familie was n bietjie outyds.

Maar hy het gesien ek stel belang. Musisering in Pretoria in die oorlogsjare. Daar was te min geld om hulle te bekostig Du Toit b. Dr Du Toit b confirmed that she and her family, who were ardent admirers of music and the human voice, were exposed to these musical influences. At the age of twelve, Nellie du Toit heard her first opera: According to her, Pretoria had hardly any opera life in those days, but under the untiring John Connell 14 opera productions were flourishing in Johannesburg between and He had formed the Johannesburg Operatic and Dramatic Society in , which presented mainly operetta and ballet.

When his Music Fortnights, that were presented free of charge Malan b: The first opera, Faust, was performed in Johannesburg in Stead From onwards Connell presented up to ten operas per year. Hardly any music bursaries were available in the post-war years. Nellie du Toit had to find ways of earning money to finance her studies, as she could not rely only on her parents financial support. Thus from to she worked as office clerk, first for Eerste Volksbank and then for the Citrus Board in Pretoria.

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On leaving school at the age of eighteen, she took singing lessons from Isobel Mc Laren 15 with whom her mother had studied in the past. At this time Du Toit had a grave accident in her own home. She was severely burnt when a gas geyser caught fire while her mother was cleaning clothing. For the young woman this was a traumatic experience and the doctor recommended to her parents a change of environment for their daughter so that she could distance herself from the scene of the experience.

The nineteenyear-old Nellie du Toit then decided to enroll at the South African College of Music in Cape Town for a three-year course in singing, as from February See chronological list. As conductor he became musical director of the Johannesburg City Council and organised Johannesburg s musical events between and Malan b: Alto, born in Edinburgh, grew up in South Africa. On completion of her studies she lectured at the RAM until when she returned to South Africa where she performed in operas and concerts.

She also produced plays, operas and operettas in Johannesburg and Durban and acted as adjudicator at eisteddfodau Wolpowitz In those days the opportunity for operatic training in South Africa was limited to this music institution which - founded in already had an enviable reputation. Music directors included William Bell and Eric Grant. Erik Chisholm, director from , was head of the College of Music during Nellie du Toit s period of study.

The enterprising Chisholm expanded the College in more than one direction Malan b: This coincided with the arrival of a new lecturer in singing at the College: She accepted the appointment as senior lecturer in singing at the College at the end of Armhold Nellie du Toit, who was not familiar with any of the singing staff, was consigned by the College to the tuition of Armhold Du Toit Teachers Adelheid Armhold, known as Madame Armhold, was to become the most influential person in the formation of Nellie du Toit s vocal technique. She was her only long-term teacher during her formative years.

Dr Du Toit a comments on her singing teacher as follows: She was a fantastic teacher. She laid the foundations for a lifetime. My voice developed considerably in those years. The emphasis was on opera but I actually grew up with lieder. There were not many opportunities to give lieder recitals but I sang many lieder by Mahler, Schubert and Brahms 1. My stem het baie ontwikkel in daardie jare. Die klem het op opera geval maar ek het eintlik grootgeword met lieder. Daar was nie baie kans om lieder uit te voer nie maar ek het baie Mahler, Schubert en Brahms gesing. Singing lessons that the author of this thesis received from Du Toit confirm this, since hardly a lesson would pass without her quoting Armhold either in technical terms or in issues concerning a healthy lifestyle.

Armhold was a vegetarian who also practised yoga as a philosophy. Adelheid Armhold was born in Friesland Malan [ed. At the age of eighteen, she started her studies in singing with Alexander Scarneo and the Russian Prof. Following her debut as soprano at the age of nineteen she performed in Germany, Switzerland, Holland and England Malan [ed. She was mainly a lieder singer but she was equally successful in oratorio Malan [ed. Armhold s voice gradually became deeper so that she was a mezzo-soprano when she accepted the teaching post at the College of Music at the end of In South Africa she specialised in performing European folk songs in different languages, while accompanying herself on the lute.

She resigned from the staff of the College of Music in After the death of her first husband, the well-known painter Pranas Domsaitis, she taught singing at a music school in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she had moved with her second husband, Mr Zvironas in According to Du Toit , Adelheid Armhold died in Honolulu at the age of Armhold s teaching principles, as laid out in her book Singing based on irrefragible [sic] laws Armhold Nellie du Toit received her vocal training according to these principles that have been passed down from the old Italian school of singing.

Madame Armhold, who was also trained in the German and French schools Armhold In considering tutorial influences on the young Nellie du Toit, the role of the Italian baritone Gregorio Fiasconaro cannot be omitted. He was authoritative as producer of almost all the operas in which Nellie du Toit performed during her student years.

Fiasconaro was appointed by Prof. Erik Chisholm to the staff of the College of Music as part-time singing teacher in February Rennie His repertoire as opera singer consisted of 38 roles in 34 operas. The syllabus of the new course in opera performance at the College of Music included a fulltime drama course at the Drama Department, with Rosalie van der Gucht and Leonard Schach as lecturers Du Toit a. In the latter course, the young Du Toit learned much about stage techniques and production Du Toit In addition to the necessary fundamental theoretical subjects she had piano lessons with Phyllis Kemp and received tuition in Italian and French for the full duration of the course Du Toit She was also seen as having a charming voice of soubrette quality which she uses with a certain dramatic sense.

In her first year Nellie du Toit also participated in two student concerts at Hiddingh Hall as well as a student concert in the university town of Stellenbosch, where she was to become lecturer in singing thirty years later and would be awarded an honorary doctorate in Nellie du Toit s first press reviews were traced in her personal journal of press clippings 5. Various reviews in this source establish the fact that she performed opera arias by Mozart and Puccini as well as lieder by Strauss at student concerts.

About the final students concert in Hiddingh Hall, the press mentions Du Toit s sweet soprano voice and that in Nellie du Toit we possess a singer from whom we may expect much in the future Unidentified author a. Another unidentified newspaper clipping Unidentified author b states that Nellie du Toit is a singer to be watched. She uses her sweet soprano easily and stylishly [and] has that priceless asset, charm. Her final performance as a first year student was a Sunday concert in the Cape Town City Hall, which she shared with a co-student, the mezzo-soprano Noreen Berry Programme b.

The review by an unidentified author c in the Cape Times of 27 November praises both Du Toit and Noreen Berry for the beautiful quality of their voices and their musical phrasing and predicts a fine career for both of them.

Obviously, Du Toit had made a positive impression, judging by the positive critiques. Her first year of study already augured favourably for Nellie du Toit to make a singing career. Aan Nellie op haar 21ste verjaarsdag. Mag hierdie boek gevul word met die verslae van jou sukses. Met die beste wense van Oom Piet. Pretoria, 17 Desember The first item in this journal is the programme of her debut in the school operetta Prinses Pirliwinkie in which she sang the principal role. The critics described her voice as sweet, pure, soubrette 6, as yet too light to do full justice to the drama of Butterfly.

They acknowledged her dramatic potentials however. Purcell s Dido was an ideal role for introduction to the opera repertoire since it would not strain a young voice. Du Toit s early attempts at the aria from Madama Butterfly were perhaps subconsciously a premonition that this role would become her hallmark. Family support Coming from an Afrikaans cultural background, it was not easy for the young Nellie du Toit to adapt in an English-speaking environment far from home.

After six months I wanted to go home. I wasn t fluent in English and just to learn the anatomy of the voice in English was a nightmare Du Toit b. It seems that strong bonding with the family back home played an important supportive role in her career. A telegram dated 14 September , from her family written in English , reads: Congratulations and best wishes for a brilliant career. Pappa, Mamma and Marie [sic]. Another, dated 17 September , encourages her with the words again written in English: Sing yourself to fame. Indeed, all members of her family were her staunch supporters.

Zarte, biegsame Stimme, zierliche Erscheinung tender, pliable voice, dainty appearance Kloiber and Konold Du Toit s contributions were amongst others two arias from Mozart s Le nozze di Figaro: An unidentified, undated newspaper clipping from an Eastern Province newspaper commented on her gloriously rich soprano voice, well produced and well controlled Unidentified author a.

Reviewing this concert, the Cape Times music critic, B. She also points out that the middle register was not yet fully balanced and concludes that if Du Toit has the will and wish to overcome the obstacles that lie in the path of ambition, she will be well equipped for a brilliant career. Another article Unidentified author c , also in Portuguese, mentions that Du Toit received the second prize in an amateur competition in the Pavillion of Praia for singing an aria from Madama Butterfly in which she accompanied herself on the piano.

Dr Du Toit recalls that her family often spent their holidays in Mozambique and that she probably made recordings for the Radio Club of Mozambique on these occasions. They consisted of casual broadcasts presented weekly on Saturdays and were sometimes presented from other towns. This group, founded in by Helen Southern-Holt, developed into one of South Africa s most important cultural and charity organisations for the Coloured community Manca See anecdote in the book The Cape Times an informal history Shaw She also comments about Nellie du Toit s portrayal of the title role of Suor Angelica in which she revealed totally unexpected powers, vocally and histrionically [ ] Her voice, light and gay in the previous opera took on a remarkable fullness of tone, and her acting in the final scene sounded depths of real tragedy B.

Ian Smith remembers this performance which, according to him, put Nellie du Toit on the map and was sensational. He furthermore remembers that all were aghast with this wonderful voice that had arrived in Cape Town. Smith then already thought that he would love to hear her in Madama Butterfly. These two operas were the first that were produced by Gregorio Fiasconaro at the College of Music. Fiasconaro describes this very first attempt at opera production in his biography Rennie He considered himself at that stage of his career a complete greenhorn and narrates as follows: During my formative years in Italy before the war, producers were practically non-existent and staging of operas were always the same wherever one went [ ] Confronted by Suor Angelica and La Serva Padrona my training insisted Stand still but my instinct rebelled and I actually tried to make the students move [ ] In Serva I gave Nellie fixed moves but allowed myself to do something different at each performance.

Poor Nellie, she never knew where I was going to pop up next! Dr Du Toit a 12 commented about her work with Fiasconaro that all his productions were in Italian. His approach was always very practical, but he could be rather impatient and temperamental. She described Fiasconaro as a natural talent, dedicated on stage with respect to work.

He chose operas for which he had the suitable cast. Sy benadering was baie prakties. Hy was nie baie geduldig nie en was ook baie temperamentvol. Hy het die operas gekies waarvoor hy gepaste rolbesettings gehad het. In the same year, the Little Theatre, which had been founded in , celebrated its coming of age.

It was a year of non-stop activity for the Opera Department. It was also Nellie du Toit s last year at the College of Music. Opera performances The year was dominated by opera performances. Nellie du Toit portrayed the role of Monica in The Medium. There were fourteen performances and, according to Talbot This must have been quite taxing on the voice. The Port Elizabeth critic E.

She acted with sureness and sense of theatre which gave an exciting indication of her potentialities. It also appeared as if some of her tones were [still] inclined to spread under pressure. Given opportunity and careful coaching, she should establish a considerable reputation. Special mention is made of her most exquisite pianissimo singing Unidentified author b.

Chisholm s Dark Sonnet. This demonstrates that, already as a student, Nellie du Toit had a very full performing schedule. In alone she sang four leading opera roles, and had performed in about forty operatic presentations. This is quite a substantial amount for a student. It certainly helped to condition her voice, mind and body for working under taxing conditions, which also included the learning of new parts simultaneous with rehearsing and performing. Concerts and oratorio performances In February Nellie du Toit gave concerts in Tzaneen and Pietersburg in what was then known as the Northern Transvaal where her aunts lived.

Ian Smith accompanied her at the piano. An unidentified author a comments on her performance in Pietersburg. Miss du Toit gives every promise of a brilliant career [ ] The most striking qualities displayed [ ] were her natural gift for pianissimo singing, particularly effective in Mozart, her general musicianship and fine sense of style which lent such contrast and variety to the program.

Also most impressive was the dramatic attack in the Puccini arias. The Van Riebeeck Festival celebrations took place in Cape Town from 4 March to 1 April It was to be moulded on the standards of European music festivals and was to be the biggest ever held in South Africa. On two occasions the young Du Toit contributed to the musical festival. Du Toit a experienced it as a special honour to be chosen as soprano soloist in Mahler s Fourth Symphony which was performed on 27 March Programme a.

Frits Schuurman conducted the Johannesburg Symphony orchestra of players. The music critic Beatrice Marx of the Cape Times mentioned that Du Toit s charming voice and her perfect composure delighted the audience and that she acquitted herself with genuine distinction. Her future career would be watched with interest B. In Du Toit performed Handel s oratorio, Messiah, twice: Enrique Jorda conducted the Cape Town Orchestra. The Music Critic b of the Cape Argus stated that the soprano and alto were not yet quite at home with oratorio, but had done much that was praiseworthy. The critic could overlook many faults for the sake of such lovely singing as Miss du Toit gave us in the opening phrase of Come unto me [sic] [Him] and at the finish of I know [that my Redeemer liveth].

Summary of vocal progress In the three years of study at the College of Music, Du Toit built up a considerable opera repertoire ranging from Purcell and Pergolesi to Berlioz, Menotti and two operas by Puccini. She had an extensive concert and opera career in England. From she focussed on her career in South Africa where she gradually became a national figure and almost a legendary singer Malan b: She regularly studied lieder with Madame Armhold.

Her lieder repertoire, according to press reviews, at that stage comprised Strauss, Mahler and Brahms, but in fact covered a much wider repertoire. She also had a couple of Afrikaans songs in her repertoire, which she sang for fun. However, she did not perform lieder in public as frequently as opera because her studies were mainly concentrated on opera Du Toit b. Du Toit s voice, initially described by the critics as a sweet soprano, pure, soubrette, yet too light [for the drama of Madama Butterfly] soon was praised for its remarkable fullness of tone, a gloriously rich soprano, having an uncommon beauty of tone and exquisite pianissimos.

However, it was said that her tones were inclined to spread under pressure and it seemed as though her middle register was not yet fully balanced. The overall evaluation of the critics was extremely positive. With her outstanding dramatic ability and pleasing stage presence they judged her well equipped for a brilliant career and a great future was predicted for her.

The first two students ever to obtain the Performers [sic] Certificate in opera are Miss Nellie du Toit and Miss Jeanette Schatz, who are also among to-day s graduates. It is a three-year course and they are the only two students who have completed it since it was instituted. Nellie du Toit passed with distinction. Summary of operatic roles During her three years at the College of Music Du Toit had performed the following roles in six operas: For Nellie du Toit and were years of opera and concert tours.

However, there were no opportunities for her to perform in opera in South Africa. Two decisive happenings in her burgeoning career occurred on the home front: Umtali, Salisbury, Gwelo and Bulawayo. Five operas were performed, in all of which Nellie du Toit sang the leading role: Erik Chisholm conducted a small orchestral ensemble.

Nellie du Toit experienced the tour as hot and stressful Du Toit c. Again the press spoke highly about Du Toit s performances and of the productions in general. He furthermore mentioned her beautiful upper register and the joy of listening to her pianissimo passages. For the critic N. She showed her customary technical skill, and her voice spun a pattern of lyrical charm that would be difficult for any critic to unravel.

The Salisbury critic M. He classified her acting as first rate. Patrick Quirke also mentions Nellie du Toit s beautiful voice and that she sang with artistry and feeling. After her return from Rhodesia, Du Toit prepared for her trip to England where she planned to further her studies in singing. The fact that few opportunities were available in South Africa for young musicians except in teaching, made Du Toit opt for broadening her experience overseas where she would be exposed to healthy competition and would have to work hard to prove her abilities.

To achieve this goal, auditions were unavoidable Bender On 8 March , shortly before leaving South Africa, Du Toit gave a recital in Pretoria of a selection of lieder and operatic arias. Judith Brent-Wessels accompanied her on the piano Alexina Since she did not have a bursary she practically went on her own steam and left with one hundred pounds in her pocket.

Her parents also supported her Du Toit a. While in England, Du Toit took the opportunity to participate in an international singing competition in Lausanne, Switzerland in This effort was a golden opportunity to compare herself with other young singers. However, she did not make it into the final rounds. She shared lodgings with fellow South Africans, the pianists Laura Searle and Ian Smith who would be her piano accompanists in certain stages of her singing career Du Toit c. This is when their close musical collaboration started.

When he was rehearsing his piano concertos, Nellie du Toit would play the accompanying orchestral part on the piano Du Toit He in turn accompanied her when she needed a pianist for auditions. Joubert would later become Du Toit s long-standing and much valued accompanist. In fact, according to Jacobs Du Toit s versatility at the piano stood her in good stead, as she could study all her repertoire by herself without the need of a coach.

Furthermore, the ability to accompany her singing students in the teaching studio would, in later years, become an invaluable asset. The tour programme consisted of extracts arias, duets and ensembles from various operas sung to piano accompaniment. The Australian pianist Geoffrey Parsons, was the accompanist and Bryan Balkwill acted as second coach and accompanist 6.

Du Toit s singing colleagues on this tour included the mezzo-soprano Patricia Kern, the sister of Terence Kern, who would later become a conductor in South Africa and the tenor Dermot Troy. He continued his studies in Zurich and London. Apart from performing as piano and organ soloist he specialised as accompanist, working with South African singers such as Mimi Coertse, Hanlie van Niekerk, Emma Renzi, Joyce Barker as well as singers from abroad.

He was music critic for the Pretoria daily Hoofstad after Malan [ed. In general, this opera tour was met with much acclaim from the critics. Nellie du Toit s last concert in Great Britain must have been in early April A programme of sports and entertainment from the Carnarvon Castle voyage No. The reason for her return to her fatherland was that she didn t consider making a career in England and had no financial backing for a longer stay.

The critic Baton a praised her fine singing at Command Concert where she proved her dramatic talent with arias from Mozart and Gluck. He described her vibrant intensity and cultured restraint as conspicuous and concludes that: It is a very long time since South Africa has been able to claim a singer of such quality as Nellie du Toit of Pretoria. She is the possessor of an excellent timbre.

But what is more important, there is behind it a musical intelligence and an interpretive ability that adds immeasurably to the ease, warmth and sensitiveness of her artistry. Constance Brothwood accompanied Du Toit on the piano. Her programme included the following lieder: Nellie du Toit s work is always interesting for her instinctive sense of the musical requirements, but last night she showed herself much more temperamentally fitted for the strong contrasts in Mozart s Das Veilchen and Mahler s Scheiden und Meiden, than for the more tender refinements of some of her other offerings.

He wrote that her smooth even line and effortless delivery reminds one, if not as yet with equal force, of Irmgard Seefried s stylish interpretations.

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The critic EVE singled out the dramatic [sic] soprano - Du Toit - in the Command Performance and concluded that South Africa has not been able for a very long time to claim an artist of such quality. A South African artist with a most promising future. Nellie du Toit was invited to participate since Wittrisch requested a singer to share the programme with him Du Toit a. Thereafter he did operetta singing and concert work Herzfeld [ed. This tour would be an ideal opportunity to introduce Du Toit to audiences throughout the Union of South Africa. Albie Louw 7 was the accompanist.

The artists performed in seventeen South African towns and cities in September and October of The chosen programme gave equal opportunities to both singers. He was a member of the University s opera group until and sang in operas and concert tours for the Provincial Arts Councils.

Appearing occasionally as concert pianist, his main interest was the light music repertoire, especially in the broadcasting medium. Oliver Walker , the well-known and feared critic of Johannesburg s The Star, thought her voice had an excellent range and that she had considerable lyrical charm.

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However, he argued that she should cultivate her middle register as well as her style in lieder interpretation. Walker criticized her for sometimes switching the volume of tone off and on like an electric light which he thought ruined the ending of the Turandot aria and destroyed the serenity of the Mozart song Das Veilchen. According to an unidentified author b of Die Transvaler of 9 September , Wittrisch was received with enthusiasm. This critic thought that Du Toit s pure, beautiful voice would probably bud and develop in the coming years. He also found that the voices of the two singers blended well.

Die Transvaler of 23 September Unidentified author c reported that both singers were drawing large audiences in rural areas and that Nellie du Toit s outstanding voice caused a sensation wherever she appeared. To have been chosen at the age of twenty-four as a vocal partner for someone of Wittrisch s standing, therefore was not only an honour but also an excellent opportunity for wider public exposure and further artistic growth.

After the tour with Wittrisch, Du Toit sang in a diversity of concerts. The Natal Daily News of 20 December hailed her as a fine dramatic [sic] soprano. The unidentified critic thought that Verdi s approach to Shakespeare suited Du Toit better than Quilter s did. The two arias from Otello displayed a prodigious dynamic range. But for this critic the Quilter songs lacked simplicity. It was performed on 20 December, a few days after her twenty-fifth birthday Programme e. The critic Allegro comments: She has a fine voice and an exceedingly good technique, her soft singing being flawlessly beautiful.

Bender had not come across Du Toit s name previously and was pleasantly surprised on hearing her voice for the first time. Although fairly well known to Cape audiences, Du Toit was at that stage not so well known in the Transvaal, owing to the vastness of the country. After her radio audition she immediately received broadcasting opportunities which introduced her to a broader audience Bender In an interview Bender talked about her collaboration with Nellie du Toit in numerous broadcasts.

Their last recordings together were in She found Du Toit s vast repertoire most stimulating. Du Toit used to broadcast once a month as did several other singers but, according to Bender, Nellie du Toit carried off the laurels. Bender did not find Du Toit to be a person of many words. Bender considered Nellie du Toit to be Koch s successor Bender s. Nellie du Toit received a remuneration of 22 and only needed two to three rehearsals before a recording. In comparison Anna Bender s remuneration was 54 per month for accompanying twelve recitals a week in direct broadcasts.

Anna Bender described Nellie du Toit s God given voice as ringing, sweet-sounding, clear as a bell, in Afrikaans: Du Toit s musicality and artistic temperament gave Bender goose pimples. An excellent actress, with a firm, light tone Warrack and West Du Toit was heard again on 11 and 27 January in the programme Donderdagaandsolis.

On 14 July she was heard in the programme Midweek Concert and on 27 July in a broadcast she was accompanied by Constance Brothwood. On 16 September she was again heard in the programme Donderdagaandsolis. Certainly the most deserved reward for Nellie du Toit s outstanding achievements so far, and for her vocal abilities, intelligence and musicianship, was her winning the UNISA overseas scholarship worth at the end of This would enable her to study overseas for a period of two years. The goal for was set: Since the South African coloratura soprano Mimi Coertse 9 had started studying with Hittorff on recommendation of Anton Hartman and Jossie Boshoff 10, who had studied with Hittorff most South African singers opted to go to her.

Besides, many musicians regarded Vienna as the musical capital of the world. The chances of a career abroad did not seem unlikely. Du Toit had by then had experience in singing with orchestra: The tour of the Union of South Africa with Marcel Wittrisch had put her name on the map with South African audiences, not only in the main cities but also in rural areas. She was also introduced to South African audiences via regular broadcasts of live and studio recordings. Soon Nellie du Toit became a well-known name among music enthusiasts throughout the country.

Yet, she had to accumulate sufficient additional funds for her stay overseas. That meant a busy concert schedule for The only thing she had not reckoned with, was amor, who had slipped out of her songs and arias into her life. And love was here to stay and would make her stay not in Europe but in South Africa. This would influence her decision to live and sing permanently in South Africa. Du Toit met her would-be husband, Philip Crouse, on a blind date in Pretoria early in He hailed from Pietermaritzburg where he had been born in , the son of Mr and Mrs G.

When Philip Crouse and Nellie du Toit met, he was lecturing at the Technical College in Pietermaritzburg and was also organist at the Voortrekkerkerk, Pietermaritzburg. He was not only a good organist, but also had a fine light baritone voice for which he was well-known in musical circles in Natal. The months preceding their wedding were packed with concerts to augment Du Toit s scholarship. L Allegro a in the Daily News of 25 March , remarked on her authoritative interpretation of Mozart. He was sure that Du Toit was a singer who would emerge as an operatic soprano equal to the best that South Africa has produced.

Baton a from the Natal Mercury stated that her fresh pure voice, of lyrical quality, is always a pleasure to listen to and that she sings with ease and with a neat sense of musical values. Baton b thought that her performance of the trying and emotional excerpt did her the greatest credit. L Allegro b praised it as an illuminating performance. This was part of her tour of Natal, where she performed in twenty centres, about three times a week, as can be deduced from a newspaper clipping from the Eastern Province Herald of 28 June In May she performed with the Iscor Orchestra under Joseph Trauneck Programme a at the Pretorius Hall in Pretoria, singing Puccini arias as well as Verdi s Ave Maria from Otello.

The choice of her arias in these concerts shows that her voice, well versed in the lyrical approach to Mozart, was acquiring more dramatic qualities. He thought her at that stage greater in promise than in performance and being an intelligent singer, it would be important for her to shed some old mistakes. I pitch into Miss du Toit solely because she is well worth any critic s attention, for she has one of the finest natural voices in South Africa.

Unfortunately, she displays only intermittent skill in using this fine voice. Her vocal method is not of the safest, and she is inclined to force many of her high notes. Many singers with fewer natural attributes have reached the highlights, and Miss du Toit will do much if she shuns the seductive illusion that nothing much remains for her to do. Her last concert before leaving for Vienna in August was in Vereniging. Philip Crouse was to join his wife in Vienna a few months later. Viennese interlude Nellie du Toit had planned to study singing privately with Maria Hittorff.

She had mentioned to the press that she planned to return to South Africa after two years, on completion of her studies Allegro However, she returned to South Africa after a sojourn in Vienna of about two months only. Not that Du Toit lacked the self-confidence to find her way on her own in an unknown environment. Her stay in England had proved that she could stand on her own feet.

But this time life in an unknown country involved a new partnership with a new singing teacher, the success of which greatly depends on the temperament and personality of both parties being compatible. According to Dr Du Toit a , this was not the case. She did not have the same rapport with Maria Hittorff as with Adelheid Armhold. Perhaps the display of her talent might have been able to remedy the unlucky situation, but unfortunately Du Toit was not given the opportunity to sing in public Du Toit The fact that she married Philip Crouse before she left for overseas studies already gives an indication of where her heart lay.

She was a young married woman and felt her commitments lay at home. On 2 February she appeared at a benevolence concert in Pietermaritzburg Unidentified author a. She performed lieder by Strauss and Schumann, art songs by Quilter and arias by Mozart. The critic Vivace in the Natal Wittness of 7 February described Du Toit as a dramatic soprano of outstanding quality and of great musical versatility, judging by her interpretation of the songs that were so varied in style. He thought her best in the Mozart arias, describing her approach as lively, direct and full of strength.

He also found that her dramatic talent found its full scope in the Richard Strauss lieder, whereas her Schumann interpretation displayed delicate charm and showed [ ] the subtleties of which her voice is capable. The Quilter songs were overcharged with dramatic interpretation and lacking in delicacy and lyrical quality. Philip Crouse and Nellie du Toit, accompanied by Verity Griesel at the piano, also performed two groups of lieder on this occasion. However, the critic mentioned that she was not yet a finished performer, but would reach international standards with further overseas training.

The article did not mention the items that Du Toit sang. On 18 August , Christine, the Crouse s first child, was born. That year the baby played a major role in Nellie du Toits life, and lullabies probably featured in her daily repertoire. Because there was not much stimulating work for Du Toit in the Pietermaritzburg area, the Crouses decided to move to Pretoria early in.

Nellie du Toit s real opera career in South Africa commenced in the late s. In order to obtain a clearer historical perspective of her entrance into South African opera life, a brief description of opera in the Transvaal around that time is deemed necessary. African Theatres were to fill the gap with opera companies from overseas. Indeed, from until big Italian companies and world-renowned singers were imported: The imported opera companies, and the fact that opera life took some years to get re-organised in the fifties, was the main reason why South African singers did not have the opportunity of performing professionally in opera in South Africa in the early and mid-fifties.

South African singers, such as Emma Renzi, were therefore forced to seek employment in Europe. These visiting overseas companies sometimes came to Pretoria and in the early days of John Connell, operas were regularly presented in the administrative capital of the Republic. Before the Pretoria Operatic and Dramatic Society and Volksteater presented amateur operas and operettas in their home town. Consequently, singers from Pretoria also performed in opera presentations in Johannesburg. The increasing interest in opera and the subsequent emergence of competent singers, resulted in the formation of the Pretoria Opera Group in Stead The late fifties can therefore be viewed as a period of reconstruction of opera life in the Transvaal.

Different bodies struggled to streamline opera presentations meaningfully. Even before the inception of the Provincial Arts Councils, four different societies came to the fore in the Transvaal. In excerpts from Italian operas were presented. Plans for the season were unsuccessful.

The first real season commenced only in June with a presentation of Madama Butterfly Emdon Patrons as well as the Ministry of Education, Arts and Sciences gave financial support. The aim was to promote opera, especially through the medium of the Afrikaans language, so that the audience would be able to follow the libretto. From , the society presented annual concert tours to rural areas with opera excerpts presented in costumes. From the society also presented full-length operas in several towns and cities on the Witwatersrand and in the rest of the Transvaal after collaboration with the National Opera Society in the formation of a South African Opera Federation Botha For the next five years important opera performances were controlled by the Federation which received subsidies from the State, Provincial Administration and City Councils.

The Federation also regularly presented excerpts from operas in rural areas. The following operas were presented: The Pretoria Opera Group This opera group was founded in in order to give singers from Pretoria an opportunity to participate in opera. It was meant to fill a gap in the cultural activities of that city.

The decision was to perform operas alternatively in English and in Afrikaans and not to limit performances to Pretoria only. Carmen Bizet - in concert version; I pagliacci Leoncavallo ; Die nuwe Dominee 4 Rorke ; Lucia di Lammermoor Donizetti ; Carmen Bizet ; As can be seen under 4. This marked her first professional endeavour in pioneering opera in South Africa.

She learnt the role in only three weeks, earned ten pounds per evening and waited six months for her pay Du Toit There were eleven performances. The Italian tenor Sergio Galli 9 sang the role of Pinkerton. The fact that the audience gave Du Toit an ovation for the aria One fine day, didn t deter the critic L.

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