Lungani Zungu
USolwazi uJames Mzilikazi Khumalo waqamba i-opera yokuqala yase-Afrika futhi wadlala indima enkulu ekuqambeni iculo lesizwe laseNingizimu Afrika.
UKhumalo, oshone ngoLwesibili, ubenothando lomculo nezilimi.
I-opera yakhe, uPrincess Magogo, ne-oratorio yakhe, i-Ushaka, yizinto ezinkulu eziqanjiwe emculweni wakudala eNingizimu Afrika kanti i-opera yenziwa emcimbini we-Ravinia owawuse-Chicago.
Ngenkathi ontanga yakhe besuka esigodini sasemakhaya ngase-Vryheid, eKZN beyosebenza ezimayini, uKhumalo waya kwandonga ziyaduma ukuyokwenza izifundo zakhe zomculo nezilimi.
Ngesikhathi eneminyaka engama-37 ngowezi-1969, wayesefundisa izilimi nomculo e-Wits University.
Yize abangani bakhe babenza imali eningi kunaye, uKhumalo waqhubeka nokufundisa umculo nezilimi ngemali ephansi kanti ngowezi-1986 wenza umcimbi lapho uDesmond Tutu agcotshwa khona ngokusemthethweni njengo-Archbishop.
UKhumalo naye ongumKristu waqamba ezinye izingoma ezaziculwa emcimbini kaTutu. UKhumalo uthole iziqu se-PhD yakhe e-Wits ngowezi-1988.
Eminyakeni eyisithupha kamuva, ngowezi-1994, uNelson Mandela wagcizelela ukuthi uKhumalo kufanele abe yingxenye yeqembu elihlanganisa iculo lesizwe, elinezingxenye zesiZulu, isiSuthu, isiNgisi nesiBhunu.
UMntwana uMangosuthu Buthelezi oneminyaka engama-92, owabona umkhosi kaTutu kanye nesikhathi somlando lapho uMandela eba ngumengameli ngonyaka wezi-1994, uchaze ukudlula kukaKhumalo njengokulahlekelwa okubi.
“Kimi, impumelelo yakhe enkulu kwaba ukuqamba i-opera yokuqala yase-Afrika eyenzelwa udumo lokuthi yamenyelwa eYurophu naseMelika,” kusho uButhelezi.
UButhelezi uthe i-Princess Magogo ibisuselwa empilweni kanina, uNkosazana Magogo kaDinuzulu, obengumculi nomqambi futhi owaziwa umhlaba wonke.
“UKhumalo ngobuciko uguqule izingoma zikamama ukuze ziculelwe ukuhambisana ne-orchestra.”
Ngowezi-2015 i-Wits yaklomelisa uKhumalo ngeziqu zobudokotela ezihloniphekile.
UKhumalo udlule emhlabeni ngoLwesibili ngemuva kokugula isikhathi eside. Umndeni kusalindeleke umemezele usuku lomngcwabo.