Durban born Coral Ballinger appeared on Midge Dogherty’s children’s show on Springbok Radio at a very early age. She sang in Kloof school choirs, appeared in numerous eisteddfods and joined the Napac ad hoc Opera Chorus at the age of 15. She went on to study under Desiree Talbot and Professor Fiasconaro in Cape Town, achieved an opera diploma and returned to Durban to study with Colleen Philp. Joyce Barker heard her singing and invited her to further her studies at the Wits University Opera School. She then married Anthony Ballinger, moved with him to Zimbabwe and, after raising a family, returning to singing in 1992.

Currently in Durban on holiday, she will perform a wide-ranging programme of well-loved pieces at the SABC in Old Fort Road on Saturday evening accompanied by Ann Muir. The items range from works by Handel and Stradella to music by Berlioz incorporated in ballets and Puccini opera arias. She will close her programme with songs by Lloyd Webber (Sunset Boulevard), Frederick Loewe (My Fair Lady) and Lehar as well as a Tom Jones favourite.