Rueben Mbonambi was born and brought up in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. completed a B. Tech in Business Management before enrolling and becoming his diploma at the University of Cape Town Opera School. He has performed as bass soloist with many choirs nationally.
In 2018 he did his debut as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with the company “Opera in Mamre”. In 2019 he made his orchestral debut with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Lykele Temmingh.
2021 joined opera LAB with Cape Town opera company. Rueben has been awarded with several prizes in the International Voices of South Africa Competition, including first prize for the African Section.
2022 has been awarded with the third prize at Hans Gabor Belvedere singing competition.
2021-2022 Rueben has taken Master classes and coaching at Oper Graz with Maris Skuja and Günther Frühmann, David Gowland from ROH Jette Parker young artists program and Kamal Kahn from the Julliard School.
2023-2025 Rueben is soloist member at the Vlaamse opera performing parts as publio in La Clemenza di tito, Nourabad in Les Pecheurs de perles, Barzakh, Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Rychtar in Jenufa, Nazarener in Salome, covering Frank in Fledermaus and the bass parts in Brodeck among others.
Further future projects in 2025/26 include the parts as Handwerkbursch in Wozzeck at Beijing Festival as well as Swalow, Sarastro, Dulcamara and Daland at Theater Luzern among others.
