# May Abrahamse

May Abrahamse (born May 6, 1930) is a South African soprano. Born in District Six, Cape Town, she grew up in a racially segregated South Africa. Her artistry, developed during challenging social and political conditions, made her a prominent figure in the Eoan Group, a cultural organization that aimed to uplift Coloured people through the arts. Despite the restrictions and challenges imposed by the apartheid regime, she performed opera for marginalized communities in South Africa.

## Training

Abrahamse’s interest in singing began at a young age, although access to formal training was limited. Despite apartheid's restrictions, which curtailed opportunities for people of colour, she began vocal studies with Billie Jones, a theatre producer, and later with Beatrice Gibson. Neither Jones nor Gibson were formally recognized as singing instructors. Later in life, she received vocal coaching from Olga Magnoni, an established opera singer, but never had the conservatoire education available to white South Africans.

## Breakthrough and prime years

At the age of 19, in 1949, Abrahamse debuted as a soprano soloist in the operetta A Slave in Araby, composed by Alfred Silver and performed with the Eoan Group in the City Hall in Cape Town. This marked the beginning of her long association with the Eoan Group, where she would perform for decades. Other early productions she participated in as a soloist included The Maid in the Mountains, Hong Kong, and The Gipsy Princess. These were lighter operatic works and musicals, performed annually at Cape Town City Hall under the direction of Joseph Manca.
One of her career's defining moments came in 1956 when she was cast as Violetta in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La Traviata, a role she would perform multiple times. This performance was significant because La Traviata was the first Italian opera performed in its original language by an all-coloured cast. The role of Violetta became one of her signature parts, and Abrahamse’s portrayal received critical acclaim. She continued to sing Violetta with the Eoan Group until their final performance of the opera in 1975.

## Career with the Eoan Group

Abrahamse joined the Eoan Group as a young soprano and became one of its most well-known singers. She performed a variety of operatic roles, including:
* Violetta in La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi – Abrahamse debuted in this role in 1956. Her performance as Violetta was praised in the local press, and it became a signature role.
* Mimì in La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini – Abrahamse’s portrayal of Mimì further established her as one of the top sopranos in the Eoan Group.
* Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni – This role demonstrated her ability to convey passion through her performances.
* Butterfly in Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini.
Abrahamse also performed in sacred works and musicals. She sang in Verdi's Requiem and Handel's Messiah, as well as musical works like Carmen Jones, an adaptation of Bizet's Carmen.

## Personal life

In 1956, the year she made her operatic debut as Violetta, Abrahamse married Jonathan Rushin, and they had two daughters. Despite her domestic responsibilities, Abrahamse continued to perform with the Eoan Group under her maiden name. Between 1968 and 1972, she and her family relocated to Durban, but she returned to Cape Town occasionally to perform, notably in 1971 when she sang Nedda in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci.
Abrahamse and Gordon Jephtas, an opera coach and conductor, shared a long-lasting friendship and professional relationship. Jephtas recognized Abrahamse's potential early on, and their collaboration spanned nearly three decades, often maintained through letters and tape recordings, as Jephtas spent much of his career abroad. He coached her on pronunciation, character interpretation, and musical nuances. For Abrahamse, Jephtas was a source of inspiration, encouragement, and intellectual companionship, which helped her to navigate her operatic career.

## Mature years

A high point in Abrahamse's career came in 1979 when she and Jephtas gave a recital at the Nico Malan Theatre in Cape Town, a venue that had only recently opened its doors to performers and audiences of all races. The recital was praised and marked an important moment in South African classical music. In the 1987 and 1988 seasons, at age 57, Abrahamse was finally given the opportunity to sing in a professional capacity with white singers when she accepted a two-year contract as a chorus member with the Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein.
Later in her career, Abrahamse’s contributions to South African music were recognized through various accolades. In 2005, she received the Cape Tercentenary Foundation Award for her "distinguished contribution to the Fine and Performing Arts". She was also honoured with the KykNET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.