Prof. Franz-Josef Einhaus, Baritone, initially studied school music (main subjects piano and choral conducting), German language and literature and educational sciences at the University and the Cologne University of Music. After his state examinations, Prof. Josef Metternich trained him as a singer in his master class at the Cologne University of Music. He also studied Lied interpretation for three years in the master class of Prof. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau at the Berlin University of the Arts. He completed his vocal studies with the ,,Konzertexamen".

This was followed by competition successes (VDMK, Neue Stimmen, Belvedere) and a scholarship from the Bayreuth Festival. In Oratorio he sang almost all baritone roles, and he also has over 50 opera roles in his repertoire. His song repertoire includes more than 600 songs. Concert tours have taken the singer throughout Germany and abroad (Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, etc.) Radio and television recordings round off his activities.

Modernism has also been formative for the baritone's operatic career. He made his much-acclaimed debut at the Düsseldorf Opera with the title role of "Lenz" by W. Rihm. He has also sung at the opera houses in Cologne, Dresden, Brussel, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Dortmund, Antwerp, Maastricht and others.

In 1992, Einhaus was appointed professor of singing at the Lubeck University of Music, having previously worked as a lecturer at the Cologne University of Music. He has over 40 years of teaching experience.

To promote young singing talents, he established his foundation "Besser Singen". More than 50 of his students of all vocal ,,Fächer" sing at opera houses in Germany and abroad. In addition, numerous qualifiers and prize winners of international competitions emerged from his class (Belvedere, Neue Stimmen, ARD Competition, etc.).

Bongiwe Nakani Mcetywa is a Third Prize winner of the 2015 Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition, and was a finalist and Audience Prize winner at the 2016 Deborah Voigt International Singing Competition held in Florida, USA. She was also a finalist at the Plácido Domingo Operalia International Singing Competition held in Mexico in 2016. From 2015 to 2021, she was the first South African soloist and ensemble member at the Vienna State Opera in Austria.

Upon returning to South Africa, she appeared as the Hexe in Hansel and Gretel with Cape Town Opera in 2021; as Sara Bartmann with Opera UCT in 2022; and as Ugo d’Asti in Dalinda with Opera UCT and the AfriArts Chorus in 2023. She performed in the African Variety Gala in 2024 and appeared as Azucena in Verdi’s Il trovatore with the AfriArts Chorus and Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in 2025. In 2026, she appeared as Safi in The Kingdom of Ubuntu – The Musical. Most recently, she appeared in the 2026 series of 10 South African Sopranos held at the Joburg Theatre.

Bongiwe is a UCT alumna and internationally recognised South African opera singer whose work spans performance, artist development, community engagement, and arts leadership. In addition to her performance career, Bongiwe serves as a vocal coach and teacher for the Cape Town Opera Foundation Studio and Development Programme, where she works closely with emerging singers. Through this role, she contributes to nurturing the next generation of South African opera talent, helping young artists build their skills, confidence, and discipline. Bongiwe continues to inspire the next generation of performers while contributing meaningfully to the growth and transformation of the opera and choral sector.

Albie van Schalkwyk established himself as performer in a number of fields over the past 40 years. One of the leading chamber musicians and vocal accompanists in South Africa, he has also performed as soloist with SA orchestras, performed solo recitals, given master classes for singers and accompanists, worked as a music producer for the SABC, and arranged music for various combinations, including Broadway musicals and operas for 2 pianos and orchestral pieces for 3 to 8 pianos. He completed his Ph.D. in Music at the University of the Free State in May 2012.

His interest in vocal music and the art song in particular has led to many fulfilling concert partnerships with singers. One of these was the formation in 1994 of The Songmakers’ Guild, a Cape Town organisation which provides a regular platform to performers in the field of the art song and from which he recently retired as Artistic Director. He was involved in the Neuberg Internationale Kulturtage summer school as coach and performer for over 20 years and during one university sabbatical year worked as coach in the Vocal Department of the Mozarteum Music University in Salzburg, Austria. In 2009 the SA Academy of Arts and Sciences awarded him the Huberte Rupert Prize for his contribution to ensemble playing and teaching over more than 30 years. 

Albie retired from his post as Associate Professor in Piano and Chamber Music at the SA College of Music, University of Cape Town, at the end of 2017. Since then he has continued his activities as collaborative pianist in chamber music and the art song repertoire, piano teacher (live and online), vocal coach and arranger for multiple pianos, all under the heading of the Musicumbrella Piano Studio.