Biography

Lyric tenor July Zuma was born in Durban, South Africa. He received his diploma as an opera singer in Cape Town in 2005, where he studied with the head of the University's Opera Department, Prof. Angelo Gobbato. July Zuma then continued his postgraduate studies at the "Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu" in Barcelona with Prof. Eduardo Grimenéz.

He made his debut with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in 2014 at the “Ein Sommer in Lesmona” festival. In 2011 he was awarded the prize at the singing competition of the Schloss Rheinsberg Chamber Opera. In the summer of 2017 he sang the role of Pedrillo from Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" with the Graubünden Chamber Philharmonic at the Schlossoper Haldenstein under the direction of Anthony Pilavachi (Director) and Philippe Bach (Musical Director).

He has recently sung the Role of Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute German Summer Tour 2024 with Festspieloper Prag. July has made his debut in one of his favourite role “ Nemorino” from Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore with the Academic Symphony Orchestra Munich conducted by Carolin Nordmeyer, Nov 2023. 

Also made his debut at the Theater Bielefeld in a new composition "The Visitor" by Andrei Petrache and Sebastian Molina, on the title role Der Fremde in the production "Der Besucher" in the 2022/23 Season.

He was invited again at the Theater Bielefeld for another new Production At Your Doorstep 2023/24 Season and the production won YaMaAwards 2023. The production also won Theater Now Music Theater Competition 2023.

He sang the role of Florville in Rossini's Il Signor Bruschino and the tenor role in Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the Schloss-Kirchstetten Festival with Virtuosi Brunenses and the Czech Orchestra in Austria (2021).

Other engagements include the role of "Tony" in Bernstein's "West Side Story" performed by Unit Art Solution in Barcelona in September 2019 and also in July 2019 he was a soloist at the "Festival of Polish Music" in Kraków. He made his debut in the role of Ferrando in Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte" in an England and Wales tour with the British Swansea City Opera in spring 2019. He also sang the role of Count Almaviva in Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" in the production of the “Opera Vox Cultural Association” in Uster, Switzerland.

He also sang the role of "Young Man" in the world premiere of the Chamber Opera "Romeo's Passion" in Johannesburg (South Africa, 2018) directed by Robert Lehmeier. Also won YaMa Awards 2018.

July Zuma has taken part in numerous singing master classes, including in 2012 with Montserrat Caballé in Saragoza, Spain.

The tenor is one of the main actors in the documentary "Cape of Good Voices" by award-winning director Ralf Pleger. The film was broadcast across Europe by TV channel Arte 2009.