The Heldentenor and most recorded South African opera singer in history passes at 51.

The South African Heldentenor Johan Botha has died in Vienna at the early age of 51. A huge physical presence on the operatic stage, Botha was blessed with a hefty, yet lyrical voice, able to encompass both Wagner and the heavier Verdi repertoire. Leaving behind a considerable discography, he can claim to be the most recorded South African opera singer of all time.

The son of a postmaster, Botha was born in Rustenburg, an administrative centre in the agricultural heart of North West South Africa. Starting out a bass-baritone, he soon discovered the burnished top notes than enabled him to change to tenor and sing Wagner, eventually coming to embrace the higher-lying Puccini roles such as Pinkerton and Rodolfo. He made his stage debut in 1989 at the municipal theatre in Roodepoort as Max in Der Freischütz but soon found himself at Bayreuth, though originally singing in the chorus! His international career really took off in 1993 when he appeared at the Opéra Bastille as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

Leading companies like the Royal Opera House, La Scala and the Salzburg Festival soon picked him up....