See here for all the latest coverage of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 competition from the Wales Arts Review team.
Wales Arts Review BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Coverage:
Friday June 26th
Review article | Final Thoughts – Now the Dust has Settled | Steph Power
After a week of world-class singing and music-making, the final of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 took place on June 21 at St David’s Hall. Steph Power was there to hear which of the five exceptional finalists (Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Lauren Michelle, Oleksiy Palchykov, Nadine Koutcher and Jongmin Park) would be announced competition winner, and to find out who would win the vote in the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize. In her review of the concert, she offers some closing thoughts on the competition in 2015 and beyond.
Monday 22nd
Article | Directing Opera: a Masterclass by David Pountney | Phil Morris
Opera masterclasses are an integral part of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 programme. They provide invaluable advice to the young conservatory students who participate, and inform audiences about the unique demands made upon singers in performance. Phil Morris attended a directing masterclass delivered by David Pountney, Chair of the Cardiff Singer Jury and Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Welsh National Opera.
Saturday 20th
Review article | Song Prize Final | Steph Power
The Song Prize Final of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 took place last night, June 19, at St David’s Hall in Cardiff, and was won by the 28-year-old bass, Jongmin Park, of South Korea. Steph Power was there for Wales Arts Review, and continues her look at art song in an in-depth review of the evening.
Friday 19th
Review | Main Prize Concert No.4 | Cath Barton
As the Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 crescendos towards its conclusion, and with the Song Prize Final taking place this evening, Cath Barton was at St David’s Hall last night, June 18, to hear the Main Prize Concert 4. In her review, she reports on the winner, and the wild card from the competition as a whole who will be joining three other singers there for the Main Prize Final on Sunday evening.
Thursday 18th
Article | Claron McFadden: a participatory improvisation workshop | Phil Morris
This year, the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition is also featuring a busy programme of fringe events. Phil Morris went along to the Dora Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music Drama today, June 18, for a participatory improvisation workshop given by a member of the 2015 panel of judges, the distinguished American soprano Claron McFadden.
Review | Main Prize Concert No.3 | Nigel Jarrett
Last night, June 17 2015, saw the penultimate of four BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Main Prize concerts at St. David’s Hall, from which a winner was chosen to go ahead to Sunday’s final. Nigel Jarrett attended the Main Prize Concert 3 of the Cardiff Singer of the World competition featuring five talented singers from around the globe.
Review | Main Prize Concert No.2 | Steph Power
Steph Power was at a welcoming and excited St David’s Hall for the second concert of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition on June 16 2015.
Wednesday 17th
Review article | Song Prize Recital No.4 | Steph Power
Steph Power was at the Song Prize Recital 4 of the Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 competition at the splendid Dora Stoutzker Hall of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In her review, she writes about art song and reports on the winners going through to Friday’s Song Prize Final at St David’s Hall.
Tuesday 16th
Review | Main Prize Concert No.1 | Nigel Jarrett
Last night, June 15, saw the Main Prize Concert 1 of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 at St David’s Hall, from which a winner was chosen to go ahead to Sunday’s final. Nigel Jarrett was there for Wales Arts Review.
Review | Song Prize Recitals 1-3 | Cath Barton
Cath Barton reports on the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 Song Prize Recitals 1 – 3 of four held at the Royal Welsh College of Music Drama.
Monday 15th
Article | Kiri and Kate in Confidence: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Kate Adie in Conversation | Steph Power
Steph Power recaps the on-stage conversation between legendary soprano Kiri Te Kanawa and broadcaster Kate Adie entitled ‘In Confidence’.
Interview | Celine Forrest | Cath Barton
Every two years Wales hosts the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, this year being the 32nd year it has been held. The twenty singers who take part are selected from nearly 350 applicants, with auditions held in eight cities around the world. The exception to this rule is for Wales, which as host country has a place for a singer as of right. Céline Forrest from Swansea won the Welsh Singers Competition in 2014, which gave her entry to this year’s Cardiff Singer.
Sunday 14th
Essay | What Makes a Great Singer? | Steph Power
The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 competition commences today, with the first two recital heats for the Song Prize taking place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. As twenty classical music singers from around the world embark on the whirlwind week of their lives, we bring you an in-depth article by Steph Power from the Wales Arts Review archive. ‘What Makes a Great Singer?’ was written at the close of the 2013 competition. As well as reminding us of that year’s vintage contest, the piece takes a look at matters that will no doubt be absorbing us again throughout the week of wonderful singing and music-making to come.
