A Feast of Opera, an exciting showcase of some of KZN's finest young vocal talent, will take place at the Courtyard Theatre in Mansfield Road on January 10 at 19h30 and on January 12 at 15h30.

Presented by music director Juan Burgers, the programme of popular opera highlights features a line-up of some of the province's most promising young soloists who are beginning to make their mark on the national music circuit.

They include five Durban singers currently studying at the University of Cape Town Opera School, Nonceba Shozi (soprano) with tenors Mhlonishwa Dlamini, Nhlanhla Mweni and July Zuma. Also appearing will be Mandlenkosi Mkhize (baritone) who was dubbed Artscape's Best Male Principal Singer in 2002.

Mhlonishwa Dlamini and Mandlenkosi Mkhize have both starred in several leading roles in Cape Town and will be appearing in Hamburg in Germany in Gershwin's stage classic Porgy and Bess in June this year. Performing with Juan Burgers at the keyboard, they will be joined by the gifted young Durban-based baritone Nicholas Ndadane and soprano Ruth Smith.

The bumper programme features highlights from La Rondine, L'Elisir d'Amore, La Traviata, La Boheme, La Favorita, The Pearl Fishers, The Barber of Seville, Don Carlo, Andrea Chenier, Otello and Tannhauser and culminates with a performance of the great Sextet from Donizetti's romantic masterpiece Lucia Lammermoor.

Tickets R45 (R35 students and pensioners). To book, call 083 799 0045. Secure parking is available.