Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha is an award-winning South African soprano born in Limpopo Province on November 4th, 1993. Known for her emotive performances and commanding stage presence, Rangwanasha is a rising star on the classical music scene.
Educated at the University of Cape Town where she completed her postgraduate diploma with Virginia Davids, Rangwanasha went on to study Vocal Performance at Tshwane University of Technology and served as a Young Artist with the Cape Town Opera Company for two years.
In 2021, Rangwanasha became the first African artist to win the song award in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, an event in which she was also a finalist in the main singer category. She appeared as a soloist in Verdi’s Requiem on the first night of the 2022 Proms and in March 2023 received widespread acclaim for her performance as Liù in the Royal Opera House’s production of Puccini’s Turandot, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano.
Rangwanasha has won multiple awards so far in her career including the aforementioned Cardiff BBC Song Award and the 2024 Herbert Von Karajan Prize. She was also named as one of BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists for the 2022 - 2023 season.
Increasingly in-demand on both operatic and concert platforms, Rangwanasha continues to impress critics and audiences alike with her assured vocal technique and emotional power.