Molly Dzangare wins first prize at prestigious UNISA International Voice Competition

The South African College of Music and Opera UCT proudly congratulate Zimbabwean-born soprano Molly Dzangare on winning First Prize at the UNISA International Voice Competition, marking a remarkable international achievement that affirms her growing stature as one of the most exciting young vocal talents of her generation.

Dzangare’s latest success follows an extraordinary series of accomplishments during her time at the University of Cape Town. She has consistently excelled in major competitions, securing First Prize in the FoCTO Bursary Competition (2025), the Aviva Pelham Operetta Competition (2023), the David Aldred Competition (2021), and the Schock Foundation Competition (2020).

She has also distinguished herself on the operatic stage through leading roles with Opera UCT. Her recent performances include Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus (2025), Clara in a staging of Frauenliebe und -leben (2025), the Governess in The Turn of the Screw (2024), Dalinda in Dalinda (2024), Giulietta in Les contes d’Hoffmann (2023), and Sara in Sara Baartman (2022).

In 2025, Dzangare gained further international recognition by reaching the final round of the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, where she also received an Engagement Award from La Monnaie / De Munt. The previous year, she was awarded an Eve Kleinitz Opera Europa Bursary, further highlighting her rising profile on the global stage.

Widely regarded as the most prestigious vocal competition on the African continent, the UNISA International Voice Competition provides a significant platform for emerging opera talent worldwide. Dzangare’s First Prize win represents a major milestone in what is already a flourishing career.

The South African College of Music and Opera UCT celebrate this outstanding achievement and look forward with pride to her continued success on the world’s operatic stages.