Goitsemang Lehobye

Goitsemang Lehobye is a distinguished South African opera singer known for her powerful and expressive performances. In 2024 she earned her Doctor of Voice Performance from the University of Michigan. She recently performed at the Finnish National Opera and made her Carnegie Hall debut, establishing herself as a rising star in the opera world. A graduate of the University of Michigan and University of Cape Town, Lehobye has established herself as a prominent soprano with a versatile repertoire spanning classical and contemporary works in the Western and Pan-African repertoire. She has experience teaching singers from a wide range of vocal genres.

Originally from Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa, her operatic journey began with the South African Black Tie Ensemble’s "Incubator" Scheme. In addition to her stage work, Lehobye is a passionate advocate for arts education and the promotion of diversity within the classical music industry.

In 2011, Goitsemang won a scholarship to study singing at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music. She performed in many productions and opera galas to great acclaim. In 2015 she premiered the orchestral song cycle Three Songs on Poems by Ingrid Jonker by South African composer Bongani Ndodana-Breen. She was also invited to perform in a new opera by David Earl in Cambridge, England.

Goitsemang's academic journey at the University of Michigan has been marked by notable achievements. In recognition of her talent and dedication, she was awarded the University of Michigan Friends of the Opera Anna Chapekis Award in 2017. In 2018 Goitsemang was the chosen soloist for the first-ever tour of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra to South Africa, where she premiered a new work by Bongani Ndodana Breen – Harmonia Ubuntu.

Goitsemang has performed and premiered concert and operatic works around the world, representing African music at prestigious institutions like Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.