South African tenor Stéfan Louw continues his quest to raise funds for his wife Marisa’s breast cancer treatment.
Louw is gearing up for his upcoming performance at the Pierneef Theatre in Pretoria, this Sunday, November 29, as part of a series of fundraising concerts for his wife's ongoing treatment.
Louw's wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in August 2019 and she has undergone chemotherapy and several other treatments over the past twelve months.
On November 30, she will be admitted to the hospital for her seventh surgery since her double mastectomy in September 2019.
Commenting on his wife’s diagnosis, Louw says, “I started a series of fundraising concerts at the beginning of the year, but the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown forced me to cancel all my fundraising efforts."
He adds: "Marisa’s treatment costs about R500 000 a year and our medical aid’s oncology benefit is only R200 000 for a year."
Louw has been a member of the Pretoria State Theatre Ad-hoc Opera Chorus for 25 years.
He was crowned the coveted Chorister of the Year Award in 1996. Three years on, Louw received the FNB Vita Opera Award for Most Promising Newcomer. He became a full-time opera singer in 2000.
Frequently working with “Opera Africa”, Louw has performed throughout South Africa and Namibia and, by 2014, he appeared in over 30 full-scale opera productions.
In September 2008, he made his international debut as Pollione in Norma at the Vichy Opera in France, followed by Radames in Aïda at the Opéra de Dijon in France in December of the same year.
The 50-minute show will see Louw showcase some of the opera’s favourites songs and also a new repertoire that includes an Afrikaans Gé Korsten favourite.
Louw also founded a non-profit organisation called “Sempre Opera”, which produces operas in South Africa
Tickets for Sunday's concert cost R120 for adults and R100 for pensioners and children.
Call Jopie Koen on 0123290709 or send an email to [email protected] to book tickets. Booking is essential.
Watch the video below of Marisa Louw narrating her breast cancer journey.