OPERA soprano Pumeza Matshikiza is flying the Mzansi flag high on global stages.
The internationally acclaimed soprano recently wowed a massive crowd of more than 7 000 people when she made her debut performing in Aida at the famous Teatro Greco in Italy on 3 and 4 August.
The show was part of the Festival Lirico dei Teatri di Pietra, and it marked her biggest operatic performance in Italy to date.
Pumeza (46) told Daily Sun that being on that stage was a dream come true for her, considering she comes from Khayelitsha in Cape Town.
"To bring a powerful role to life in such a historic and resonant space was a true privilege.
"Aida's strength, her quiet dignity and inner conflict kept me going on stage. This was a dream come true. I come from a township, and now I stand on the world's greatest stages," she said.
The singer, who studied at the University of Cape Town and the Royal College of Music in London, impressed people with her debut in Aida.
"Aida is a story that strips you bare. It's about love that can't survive in the world as it is.
"It's about exile, identity, and the invisible borders between people, nations, and what we love.
"In a time when displacement, division, and sacrifice are daily realities, this story hits differently," Pumeza said.
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Just days before her debut on Aida, the singer performed at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, where she took part in the Classical Pride celebration with the LA Philharmonic.
She's also set to perform at the Barbican in London, UK and Olympia Hall in Paris, France.
Pumeza told Daily Sun she's proud of the work she's done.
"I'm a daughter of the African soil, and my gift of singing reflects deep roots and a continuous story of my ancestors and the environment that nurtured me. A girl from the streets of Khayelitsha can rise and shine on global stages.
"My journey is a testament to hope and resilience, a reminder that dreams can flourish, no matter the background," she added.
