Welsh Singers Competition
Encyclopedia
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The winner of the competition represents Wales in the biennial BBC Cardiff Singer of the World
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition is a competition for opera and art singers held every two years....
. The Competition is open to Welsh singers at the early stages of their career. The final of the competition is held at St David's Hall
St David's Hall
St David's Hall is a performing arts and conference venue in the heart of Cardiff city centre, the capital of Wales...
in Cardiff.
Competitions
- The winner of the 1986 competition was Buddug Verona James (Mezzo-sopranoMezzo-sopranoA mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
)
- The winner of the 1988 competition was Bryn TerfelBryn TerfelBryn Terfel Jones CBE is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly Figaro and Leporello, but has subsequently shifted his attention to heavier roles, especially those by Wagner....
(Bass-baritoneBass-baritoneA bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
)
- The winner of the 1990 competition was Neal Davies (Bass-baritoneBass-baritoneA bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
)
- The winner of the 1992 competition was Jeremy Huw WilliamsJeremy Huw WilliamsJeremy Huw Williams is a Welsh baritone opera singer who studied at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, St John's College, Cambridge, at the National Opera Studio, and with April Cantelo....
(BaritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
)
- The winner of the 1994 competition was Carolyn Foulkes (SopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
)
- The winner of the 1996 competition was Gwyn Hughes Jones (TenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
)
- The winner of the 1998 competition was David Kempster (BaritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
)
- The winner of the 2000 competition was Joanne Thomas (Mezzo-soprano).
- The winner of the 2002 competition was Elizabeth Donovan (SopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
).
- The winner of the 2004 competition was Camilla Roberts (Soprano). The other finalists were Fflur Wyn (Soprano), Cecilia Eleri Smiga and Mark Chaundy (Tenor).
- The final of the 2006 competition was held on 5 June 2006 and the finalists were Caryl Hughes (Mezzo-soprano), Paul Carey JonesPaul Carey JonesPaul Carey Jones is a baritone opera singer.-Education:Jones attended Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf...
(Baritone), Alun Rhys Jenkins (Tenor) and Sarah-Jane Davies (Soprano) who was the winner of the competition. The jury was Mary King, Dennis O'NeillDennis O'NeillDennis O'Neill CBE is a Welsh operatic tenor and recording artist.-Early career:Born of Welsh and Irish parents, he studied privately with Professor Frederic Cox in Manchester and then in London...
, Neal Davies, Sarah Playfair, Julian Smith music adviser to BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
- The final of the 2008 competition was held on 16 June 2008 and the finalists were Laura Parfitt (soprano), John Pierce (tenor), Claire Watkins (soprano) and Natalya Romaniw (soprano), who was the winner of the competition. The jury was Rebecca EvansRebecca EvansRebecca Evans is a Welsh operatic soprano.-Personal life:Born in the village of Pontrhydyfen near Neath, the same village as Hollywood actor Richard Burton....
, Simon KeenlysideSimon KeenlysideSimon Keenlyside CBE is a British baritone who has had an active international career performing in operas and concerts since the mid 1980s.-Early life and education:...
and Philip LangridgePhilip LangridgePhilip Gordon Langridge CBE was an English tenor, considered to be among the foremost exponents of English opera and oratorio....
, Elaine Padmore director of the Royal Opera HouseRoyal Opera HouseThe Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent GardenCovent GardenCovent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
and Julian Smith.
- The 2010 final will be held at St. David's Hall Cardiff on Monday 28 June. The jury will include Rebecca Evans, Robert TearRobert TearRobert Tear, CBE was a Welsh tenor and conductor.Tear was born in Barry, Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the son of Thomas and Edith Tear. He attended Barry Boys' Grammar School and during this period sang in the chorus of the first Welsh National Opera's production of 'Cavalleria Rusticana' in April 1946...
and Bryn Terfel. They will be joined by Elaine Padmore, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Julian Smith, Music Adviser to BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.