This Is The Moment

This is an exceptionally pleasant album by a particularly talented South African trio who bring a whole new flavour to the world of opera-style music.

The three stars of the show, Given Mabena, Lucky Sibande and Ago Moah, have been delighting audiences both locally and in London, China, Seychelles, Rome and Hong Kong since they made their first appearance in 1998.

They’ve even performed on stage with the king of opera, Luciano Pavarotti and shared concert performances with the likes of Gloria Bosman, Yvonne Chaka-Chaka and Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well as the legendary George Benson and Al Jarreau.

They show their versatility on this album by paying tribute to Pavarotti in a beautifully sung Italian medley and also to Nat King Cole in a medley named after him.

They sing in a number of languages including Afrikaans in which they do full justice to the local favourite, 'Liefling'.

In addition to golden oldies such as 'Mona Lisa', 'When I Fall In Love' and 'Unforgettable', they also give their own special touch to 'African Dream', 'Amicos Para Sempre' and a rather interesting variation billed as 'Township Vibe Into Yam'.

If one has to level one minor criticism — and it’s a fairly common muttering from many opera fans — it is that they tend at times to be over correct and too pronounced in their singing. But that’s their style and one gets used to it after a track or two.

The good thing about this album is that one doesn’t necessarily have to be a fan of opera to get enjoyment out of their music. The singers complement each other so smoothly and with such finesse that it all becomes an extremely pleasant listening experience.