Levy sang in youth choirs as a child and played first-team hockey and rugby at Stellenberg High School in Cape Town. His ultimate goal was to become a concert pianist, but his uncle, who is a conductor with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, encouraged him to concentrate on his voice instead – and this was excellent advice.
Today Levy is internationally known for his golden voice and gets standing ovations from opera lovers in Europe. He has also featured on Forbes’ European list of 30 Under 30 in the Art category and won the prestigious Operalia World Opera Competition in Kazakhstan last year. This means he is following in the footsteps of another top SA opera voice, Pretty Yende, who won the global competition in 2011.
But being a world-famous opera singer requires hard work and sacrifices. Hours of rehearsals, constant travel and the need to keep in top physical shape mean Levy has to be disciplined about his daily routine.
Although he now lives in Germany, Levy is often asked to perform in South Africa. ‘I am privileged and lucky to be asked to sing at home. I have had an incredible amount of support from the beginning of my career and I owe it to those who supported me to sing for them.’
Also read about these inspirational youngsters: Gabriella Mogale and Aiden Kaylor.