s ▁Federal ▁Ministry ▁for ▁Science ▁and ▁Art ▁awarded ▁her ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Dec oration ▁for ▁Science ▁and ▁Art ▁( A ust rian ▁Hon our , ▁first ▁class ) ▁honour , ▁the ▁highest ▁honour ▁an ▁artist ▁can ▁receive ▁in ▁that ▁country . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁she ▁received ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁P ret oria ▁and ▁another ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁from ▁the ▁Un isa . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁she ▁would ▁receive ▁the ▁Golden ▁R ath aus mann ▁from ▁the ▁mayor ▁of ▁Vienna . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Co ert se ▁and ▁Ne els ▁Hans en ▁founded ▁The ▁Black ▁T ie ▁Ens emble , ▁a ▁development ▁project ▁which ▁enables ▁young , ▁class ically ▁trained ▁sing ers ▁to ▁bridge ▁the ▁gap ▁between ▁training ▁and ▁professional ▁performance . ▁ ▁This ▁project ▁has ▁developed ▁into ▁the ▁most ▁exc iting ▁classical ▁singing ▁ensemble ▁in ▁South ▁Africa , ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁on ▁the ▁br ink ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁v ibr ant , ▁new , ▁young ▁opera ▁company . ▁A ▁project ▁for ▁future ▁stars ▁of ▁Africa ! ▁The ▁Ens emble , ▁spons ored ▁by ▁S app i , ▁performs ▁oper as ▁at ▁the ▁State ▁Theatre ▁( P ret oria ), ▁Walter ▁S is ulu ▁National ▁Botan ical ▁Garden ▁( J oh annes burg ) ▁and ▁the ▁C iv ic ▁Theatre ▁( J oh annes burg ). ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁Co ert se ▁was ▁married ▁three ▁times . ▁Co ert se '