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The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012)
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614010465058816 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Pienaar, Kirsten |
| author2 | Ludemann, Winfried |
| author_browse | Ludemann, Winfried Pienaar, Kirsten |
| author_facet | Ludemann, Winfried Pienaar, Kirsten |
| author_sort | Pienaar, Kirsten |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132500 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:13.990Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132500 The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) Pienaar, Kirsten Ludemann, Winfried Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. Temmingh, Roelof, 1946–2012 -- Criticism and interpretation Operas -- South Africa -- History Composers -- South Africa -- Biography Opera -- Analysis, appreciation Librettists UCTD Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Pienaar, K. 2025. The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012). Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/b0441e42-2a50-420c-bf21-e5452928fabe ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite a growing oeuvre of locally composed operas in South Africa, there is a noticeable and unfortunate lack of such productions on stages. Those that are performed seldom see revivals beyond their premières, while works from the European canon continue to be staged and re-staged. In so doing, audiences and performers alike are deprived of the wealth of operatic tradition that has emerged in South Africa, particularly since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Roelof Temmingh’s operas Enoch, Prophet of God (1994), Sacred Bones (1997) and Buchuland (1998) are notable examples of such neglect. Despite their distinct relevance, topicality, and musical and dramatic value, these works are noticeably absent from both stage and, arguably as a consequence, from serious research. This thesis addresses the lacuna of research conducted into the operas with the intention to bring attention to the works and their artistic value, with a particular focus on Buchuland. This is conducted with an ultimate goal of not only seeing the operas performed again, but also becoming part of the standard repertoire recurringly produced by local opera companies. This thesis discusses the place and importance of Temmingh’s operas in South African operatic culture by first evaluating the context in which the works were composed and premièred. The radical social, political and cultural transitions of the era in which they were produced are critical considerations when approaching the relevance and value of the operas, and provide valuable insight into their genesis and content, both dramatic and musical. Furthermore, exploring the lives and creative outputs of both the composer and the librettist reveals the authors’ personal and artistic processes, motivations, and agenda or intentions. Contextualising the works through historiographical and biographical discussions provides a backdrop against which the operas are analysed. Enoch, Prophet of God and Sacred Bones are explored in terms of their geneses, premières, and receptions. Cursory analyses of their dramatic and musical content follow, thereby providing a framework through which Buchuland is explored and understood in greater depth. In addition to discussions around its genesis, première, reception, and libretto, the music of Temmingh’s final opera is comprehensively analysed with a lens on the degree to which the composer meets the requirements inherent to the genre – such as musically rendering characters and dramatic themes, and truthfully and creatively realising the content of the libretto – and rises to the challenges posed by such an endeavour. This thesis concludes with an evaluation of the artistic significance of Buchuland, revealing the imaginative and credible musical realisation of a compelling libretto. The conclusion calls for further, more comprehensive research into Temmingh’s first two operas, as well as the potential for comparative studies between these works and those originating in cultural and political contexts similar to those of South Africa. Finally, the thesis reiterates the significance and benefits an opera such as Buchuland holds for South African artists and audiences, with abundant themes, characters, challenges and victories the country and her citizens continue to face well into the 21st century. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van ’n groeiende repertorium van plaaslik gekomponeerde operas is daar ’n opmerklike gebrek aan opvoerings van sulke werke op Suid-Afrikaanse verhoë. Premières word selde opgevolg met latere heropvoerings. Daarenteen behou operas uit die Europese kanon nog steeds hul dominante posisie op ons verhoë. Gehore en kunstenaars word gevolglik van die geleentheid ontneem om die ryk Suid-Afrikaanse operatradisie te leer ken, veral sedert die aanbreek van demokrasie in 1994. Roelof Temmingh se operas Enoch, Prophet of God (1994), Sacred Bones (1997) en Buchuland (1998) is noemenswaardige voorbeelde van dié verwaarlosing. Ten spyte van hul kulturele relevansie en musikale sowel as dramatiese waarde bly die afwesigheid van ʼn verhoogteenwoordigheid van hierdie operas ʼn voortdurende werklikheid. Dit dra sekerlik daartoe by dat hulle tot dusver ook deur navorsers geïgnoreer is. Hierdie tesis poog om dié leemte aan te spreek en stel hom ten doel om die aandag op hierdie werke en hul artistieke waarde te vestig, met ʼn spesifieke fokus op Buchuland. Die uitkoms waarop gehoop word is dat Temmingh se drie operas nie net weer sporadies herleef nie maar ʼn vanselfsprekende plek verower in die repertorium van plaaslike operamaatskappye. Die tesis bespreek die plek en belangrikheid van Temmingh se operas in die Suid-Afrikaanse operakultuur deur eerstens die konteks waarin hulle gekomponeer en uitgevoer is te evalueer. Die radikale sosiale, politieke en kulturele oorgang wat gedurende hierdie tyd in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind het vorm die agtergrond waarteen die relevansie en waarde van dié operas ondersoek word en verskaf waardevolle insig in hul ontstaan en inhoud, sowel dramaties as musikaal. Ondersoek na die biografieë en skeppende werk van beide die komponis en librettis werp lig op hul artistieke denke, motivering en doelstellings. Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond wat die operas dan ondersoek en ontleed word. Enoch, Prophet of God en Sacred Bones word ten opsigte van hul ontstaansgeskiedenis, eerste opvoerings en resepsie bespreek. ʼn Breë oorsig oor hulle onderskeie dramatiese en musikale inhoud word gegee. Dit verskaf dan die raamwerk waarbinne Buchuland in veel meer diepte ondersoek en vertolk word. Bykomend tot die bespreking oor die ontstaan, première, aanvanklike resepsie en libretto van die werk word die musiek van Temmingh se laaste opera omvattend ontleed, met ʼn fokus op die mate waarop die komponis aan die inherente vereistes en uitdagings van die operagenre voldoen, soos om die onderskeie persone en dramatiese temas in die verhaal musikaal te karakteriseer en om die inhoud van die libretto verbeeldingryk en oortuigend uit te beeld. Die tesis sluit af met 'n bespreking van die vraag in watter mate Buchuland daarin slaag om die uitdagings van die genre te bemeester en wys die komponis se oortuigende musikale verwesenliking van die libretto uit. Hieruit vloei die pleidooi vir die herlewing van die opera en sy opname in die kanon en, uiteindelik, sy vestiging in die land se kulturele bewussyn. Ten slotte word die aandag geplaas op die noodsaaklikheid van meer diepgaande navorsing oor Temmingh se eerste twee operas, asook die noodsaaklikheid om hierdie werke met operas in vergelykbare buitelandse kulturele en politieke omstandighede te vergelyk. Laastens word die tematiese rykdom, die veelsydige karakters, die uitdagings, oorwinnings en relevansie van ʼn opera soos Buchuland uitgewys en word die waarde uitgelig wat hierdie werk ook nog in die 21ste eeu vir Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars en gehore inhou. Masters 2025-06-10T07:28:09Z 2025-06-10T07:28:09Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132500 en Stellenbosch University 255 pages : music application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Temmingh, Roelof, 1946–2012 -- Criticism and interpretation Operas -- South Africa -- History Composers -- South Africa -- Biography Opera -- Analysis, appreciation Librettists UCTD Pienaar, Kirsten The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title | The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title_full | The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title_fullStr | The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title_short | The operas of Roelof Temmingh (1946-2012) |
| title_sort | operas of roelof temmingh 1946 2012 |
| topic | Temmingh, Roelof, 1946–2012 -- Criticism and interpretation Operas -- South Africa -- History Composers -- South Africa -- Biography Opera -- Analysis, appreciation Librettists UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132500 |
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