Oscar Pistorius: Opera On Full Blast As Too Toxic Blade Runner Sweeps Church Floors (pics)

The Trial by Media opera, which is currently gripping audiences at the Artscape Arena Theatre, focuses on the murder trial of disgraced Paralympian Oscar Pistorius whowas released on parole from Pretorias Atteridgeville Correctional Centrein January this year.

The bite-sized opera, which forms part of Cape Town Operas season of Shorts - A Festival of Operas, had its world premiere last week and will run until 21 April.

This while media reports of Pistorius now officially sweeping church floors as part of his parole penance, are doing the rounds.

In an exclusive, New York Post revealed that the former sporting icon reached out to at least two members of the International Paralympic Committee after his release, asking if they could work together in any capacity.

He was reportedly rejected, with one member telling The Post that the 37-year-old double amputee is too toxic to work with now, adding Theres nothing for him here.

Pistorius was convicted for shooting 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp four times with his licensed 9mm Parabellum pistol through a locked toilet door in his Pretoria home at Silver Woods Country Estate on Valentines Day in 2013.

Throughout the gruelling six-month murder trial, Pistorius maintained that he had mistaken his model and law graduate girlfriend for an intruder.

WARNING: IMAGES BELOW ARE NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS. DISCRETION IS ADVISED

The athlete served nearly nine years of his sentence of 13 years and five months before he was released into the care of his uncle Arnold Pistorius under strict parole conditions.

Pistorius, nicknamed Blade Runner for his carbon-fibre running blades, has reportedly been given a choice on how he wanted to carry out the community service which forms part of his parole deal.

The Citizen previously reported that Pistoriusindicated to his parole officers that he would like to help out at theDutch Reformed Church Waterkloof, which is situated a stones throw away from the luxury estate of his uncle in the posh Pretoria suburb.

According to The Post, the former six-timeparalympicgold medallist now does light maintenance and janitorial work at the church, as well as quietly attends services.

A member of the NG Kerk Waterkloof told the publication that Pistorius is a shadow of what he once was.

Hes not friendly, not outgoing, the church member said. I dont know if Ive even seen him crack a smile. Hes just a shadow of what he once was.

Aida Govender, who spotted him at the church in March while visiting with relatives, said she did not recognise the former champion athlete at first.

You would never know he was an athlete; hes just not the same.

London-based South African composerConrad Asmansscore for Trial by Media was crafted over four years and finally completed just days after Pistoriuss parole request was approved in November 2023.

The opera is a musical tour de force of the complexities of the Pistorius murder trial, the public and medias reaction to it, as well as the memory of Steenkamp.

Trial by Media stars Cape Town Opera soloist and award-winning soprano Brittany Smith as Steenkamp, with Van Wyk Venter in his first major role as Pistorius.

The supporting cast includes Conroy Scott as the defence lawyer, Tylor Lamani as the prosecutor, Lusibalwethu Sesanti as the judge, and members of the Cape Town Opera chorus.

The opera is co-directed by Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer, who is also the costume designer. The set design of all three short operas is by Allegra Bernacchioni.

• Apart from Trial by Media , Shorts: A Festival of Pocket Operas also features Francis Poulencs La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice) and Mozarts comedy The Impresario (Der Schauspieldirektor). The festival runs until 21 April and tickets are available from Webtickets .