I meet Brittany Smith at the airport — an appropriate location for our interview, given that the opera diva has spent much of 2024 shuttling between cities, rehearsal studios and theatres around the country. She is currently preparing to open Cape Town Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Joburg Theatre on July 25. Over coffee, we chat about how she manages the physical and psychological demands of singing the part of the tormented title character.

As Lucia, she appears in the famous “mad scene” in a bloodied wedding gown, having just stabbed a man she was forced to marry — before being killed herself. Offstage, Smith keeps it light, making lots of jokes with her fellow cast members to counterbalance the emotional intensity onstage. She keeps regular appointments with her therapist to ensure a clear line is maintained between performer and character. As it happens, she is also planning a wedding; she will be getting married a few weeks after the conclusion of the J...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.