Johan Botha

South African tenor Johan Botha was born in Rustenburg on 19 August 1965, beginning to sing whilst very young. He studied at the opera school at the Pretoria Technikon.

His stage debut was in 1989 at the Roodepoort municipal theatre. In 1990 he moved to Europe and initially sang with the Bayreuth Festival chorus. Three years later he appeared as a soloist at the Opéra Bastille, beginning an international career which took him to Covent Garden, La Scala, New York Metropolitan Opera, Opera Australia, the Salzburg Festival and Vienna State Opera.

Johan Botha died from cancer in Vienna on 8 September 2016, aged fifty-one.

A selection of articles about Johan Botha

Ensemble. Dramatic Values - Richard Wagner's 'Tannhäuser', live in HD from New York, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Modern, Technically-endowed Triumph - 'Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg' in HD from New York on 17 December impresses Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Exploration and Discovery - 'Die Frau Ohne Schatten' at Covent Garden, reviewed by Alice McVeigh

Ensemble. Passionate Acting - Maria Nockin was in the stalls for New York Metropolitan Opera's 'Otello' in HD

Ensemble. A Tremendous Production - Strauss's 'woman' on the analyst's couch, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Beautifully Wrought - Wagner's 'Tannhäuser' at Covent Garden, by Robert Hugill