Vuvu Mpofu wins prestigious John Christie Award
South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious John Christie Award, it has been announced.
Vuvu, 28, performed the role of First Nymph in Rusalka at the 2019 Glyndebourne Festival. She returns to Glyndebourne this autumn in the principal role of Gilda in a highly-anticipated new production of Verdi’s Rigoletto for Glyndebourne Tour.
A prizewinner at the Operalia Competition and the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, Vuvu’s recent and future appearances include her debuts at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Oper Köln, Bergen National Opera, Opera North, Cape Town Opera, Vlaamse Opera and at the Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro.
The John Christie Award is an annual scholarship given to a promising young singer to fund private study and has been awarded since 1965 by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Past winners include: Ryland Davies [1965], Richard Van Allan [1966], Gerald Finley [1989], Kate Royal [2004], Matthew Rose [2006], Allan Clayton [2008], Duncan Rock [2010] and Louise Alder [2014].
Each year the Musicians’ Company, one of the oldest and most respected charitable companies in the City of London, donates over £200,000 in scholarships and awards in support of young musicians at the start of their careers across all musical disciplines.
The 2019 winner was announced on Sunday 25 August at the final performance of Glyndebourne Festival 2019.
Rigoletto is on stage at Glyndebourne 11 October – 2 November as part of Tour 2019.
The production will then visit Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Woking and Norwich.