# Looking for any information / photos of an opera singer - family history



## ATales (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone

I've stumbled on this forum in the hope that the collective hive mind can succeed where Google has failed.

I've been speaking with an online friend who helps me manage a server I run and he's been telling me a bit about his rather eventful family history, and he is particularly interested in looking up some more information on a close relative who has sadly passed and was an opera singer.

We have very little information to go on, and only one photograph that we could find online so if anyone has any additional information that they could share, that would be extraordinarily helpful!

Why am I doing this you may ask? He's from the Facebook generation and forums are an alien and outdated concept to him, personally I'm a real fan of forums, hence the post!

If anyone is able to help, this is what we know:

Name - *Ben Illemann*
Nationality - *South African*
Year of birth - *I think 1945* (I'm not exactly sure)
Year of death - *1993*

We have found exactly one photo of him, on the website of Aviva Pelham. My friend has contacted them to see if there are any other photographs but hasn't received a reply as yet.

Hopefully this won't be considered cheeky for a first post, and I thank you in advance for any replies!

Thanks.


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## ATales (Jun 1, 2015)

Hmmmm, 62 views and no replies, I guess this is very much a needle in a haystick sort of search!

Instead, *does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find more information myself*? The classical and Opera genre is a little known world to me so any points would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I believe you could contact Cape Town Opera (http://www.capetownopera.co.za/) to check if they keep any relevant photos in their archive.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

I assume you've seen this, the 5th link when I checked on Google.

Google translate produced this from the original, which surely has enough info to point you to other connections.

MEMORIAL CONCERT: The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Berislav Skenderovic, seven singers. In the Nico Opera. BEN ILLEMANN last year died of motor neuron disease. He was one of Cape Town's leading singers, and include the Friends of the Nico Opera Prize and the Nederburg Opera Special Prize awarded to him. Its main opera roles were Colline (La Bohème), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Escamillo (Carmen) and the title role in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. The memorial concert where his colleagues from Pitcher Sunday acted fourteen excerpts from operas, operettas and musicals performed. The concert lasted just long enough, was of high quality, and catered for all tastes. After a very convincing Verdi overture Aviva Pelham `` Singet und klinget 'from Stoltz's Früh jahrsparade with just sung the right approach. John EAGAR played the stiervegterslied from Carmen gracefully. Sally Presant's version of the letter scene from Massenet's Werther was outstanding, and Don Garrard followed with an equally dazzling rendition of an aria from The Barber of Seville. Virginia Davids was perfect on her pieces. Her version of `` Pace, pace, mio ​​Dio '' La Forza del from Destino by Verdi was very impressive. In place of Sidwill Hartman, who was sick, a young student, Henk Kleinhans, a very good impression of the aria `` The 'miei bollenti spiriti' 'La Traviata from Verdi. A beautiful voice that one must watch! Virginia Davids and Sally Presant's two duets, Barcarolle from Offenbach and Cats Duet Rossini found very pleased. Similarly also was Aviva Pelham and DeWet van Rooyen's amusing version of `` und Musik spielt dazu the '' Raymond, and excerpts from The Phantom of the Opera and Man of La Mancha.

GEDENKKONSERT: Die Kaapstadse Filharmoniese Orkes, dirigent Berislav Skenderovic, sewe sangers. In die Nico Opera. BEN ILLEMANN is verlede jaar aan motor neuron-siekte oorlede. Hy was een van Kaapstad se voorste sangers, en onder meer is die Vriende van die Nico Opera-prys en die Nederburg Spesiale Opera- prys aan hom toegeken. Van sy belangrikste operarolle was Colline (La Bohème), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Escamillo (Carmen) en die naamrol in Mozart se Die Huwelik van Figaro. In die gedenkkonsert waarin sy kollegas van Kruik Sondagaand opgetree het, is veertien uittreksels uit operas, operettes en musiekblyspele uitgevoer. Die konsert het net lank genoeg geduur, was van hoogstaande gehalte, en het vir alle smake voorsiening gemaak. Ná 'n heel oortuigende Verdi-ouverture het Aviva Pelham ``Singet und klinget'' uit Stoltz se Früh jahrsparade met net die regte aanslag gesing. John Eagar het die stiervegterslied uit Carmen met swier vertolk. Sally Presant se weergawe van die brieftoneel uit Massenet se Werther was uitmuntend, en Don Garrard het gevolg met 'n ewe skitterende vertolking van 'n aria uit Die Barbier van Seville. Virginia Davids was volkome op haar stukke. Haar weergawe van ``Pace, pace, mio Dio'' uit La Forza del Destino van Verdi was baie imponerend. In die plek van Sidwill Hartman, wat ongesteld was, het 'n jong student, Henk Kleinhans, 'n baie goeie indruk gemaak met die aria ``De' miei bollenti spiriti'' uit La Traviata van Verdi. 'n Mooi stem wat 'n mens moet dophou! Virginia Davids en Sally Presant se twee duette, Barcarolle van Offenbach en die Katteduet van Rossini het baie byval gevind. Net só ook was Aviva Pelham en DeWet van Rooyen se amusante weergawe van ``Und die Musik spielt dazu'' van Raymond, asook uittreksels uit The Phantom of the Opera en Man of La Mancha. 

musiek konserte gedenkdae


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Obituary article:
http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/1993/11/20/4/9.html
Of course, there´s a possibility to use Google translate, Afrikaans - > English

This PDF link mentions a lot of his opera & musical roles (use the search function in the document if interested):
http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j...uZ7KrWrIbS5L8rxzQ&sig2=EXVxxB_CatUSZOklWOSilA
(_p.254/CCLIV about memorial concert 1994: "Despite all this levity and popular romance, however, it was Pelham who sang the most poignant song of the concert: Illemann's personal favourite, Colours of my Life from Cy Coleman's Barnum_. ")

(http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/1989/02/23/4/14.html):
"_Ben Illemann, a founding member of Kruik's solid vocals and hoofbas since 1983, ending his contract at the end of April ... He intends to join his wife in the business world. ... Among his best roles count Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, the Bonze in Madama Butterfly, the King of Egypt in Aida and von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He also has a number of television appearances to his credit in programs such as `` An Evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein '', `` La Traviata '' and highlights from the Vienna Operetta_."

Small television appearance info: http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/1991/09/5/1/8.html

Popular programme: http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/1987/02/17/8/2.html

Searching via

his name + kruik + maybe composers or music titles

will result in a lot links like these with limited info on his opera roles, reviews etc.; it seems that some of such articles (dates indicated in the link data) have accompanying photos, if you are able to get the originals via libraries:
http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/1990/08/31/6/3.html

(http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/1988/08/29/7/4.html)
(http://opera.archive.netcopy.co.uk/article/july-1988/65/south-africa)
(http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/1988/07/27/19/3.html)
(http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/1986/05/12/5/6.html)

(etc.)


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## ATales (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone.

My apologies for such a delayed reply, I haven't been able to return to this until now.

Thank you so much for your replies, especially to joen_cph for such a detailed and comprehensive reply, that's really useful!

It's quite amazing isn't it, these days, virtually anything is on hand at the push of a button, but just moving back before the general use of the www. and it's suddenly much harder to find the information needed!

I will certainly explore all the options listed.

Thank you again everyone for you input!


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

ATales said:


> Hmmmm, 62 views and no replies, I guess this is very much a needle in a haystick sort of search!


I can address this ... "views" are not necessarily registered members of this forum. This site is regularly perused by many search engines indexing data for their customers. Views can also be by unregistered members, aka "lurkers" as most of our site is visible to the public without having to log in.

There are a couple of areas that are restricted to viewing only as a registered member.


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## jamess (Aug 10, 2015)

Hi,

I had the pleasure to know Ben's family and I still have contact with his daughter.

The family are in possession of a limited quantity of personal items, photographs and posters covering Ben's opera career in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, though many items were lost during the family's flight to South Africa and subsequent relocation to the UK where his widow and daughter reside.

If you are willing to forward me an email address to my account at [email protected] I will ask the family if they would be agreeable to help you in your search.

I have heard a rare tape of Ben singing both opera and musical works and I agree that he was a talented artist who deserves better recognition outside of his former African homeland.


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## CathyWindell (Mar 2, 2018)

*Ben Illeman*

I saw someone was looking for info on Ben Illeman. He was married to my cousin.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

CathyWindell said:


> I saw someone was looking for info on Ben Illeman. He was married to my cousin.


That's very interesting, can you tell us a little bit more?


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## SpaceWalrus (Dec 6, 2018)

I'm actually his grandson, I'm named after him. And I was just wondering if anyone had any video clips of him singing? As even tho I have been told alot about him I feel that I don't know anything about him at all.


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