BIOGRAPHY

South African tenor Makudu Senaoana is steadily making his mark throughout Europe and North America as a gifted and versatile performer. Senaoana made a return to the Dutch National Opera last season for their Be Opera project, covered Rinuccio in San Diego Opera’s production of Gianni Schicchi and performed the same role with Opera Steamboat, workshopped a new piece with On Site Opera, and featured prominently in Opera Ithaca’s festival, performing in their productions of Nabucco (Ismaele), Highway 1, USA (Nate), and Proving Up (Miles Zegner). Senaoana enjoys a close relationship with director William Kentridge, with whom he toured South Africa and the U.S. in performances of The Head and the Load, a genre-defying experience centered around Africans in WWI, initially commissioned in part by the Park Avenue Armory.

In the previous season, Makudu made his début with the Dutch National Opera in the world premiere of Anansiby South African composer Neo Muyanga and the opera house’s Celebrating Diversity: Black Achievement Month. Senaoana also performed as second Jew in Salome with Tulsa Opera. [read more...]