# Cardiff Singer of the World 2015



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

The competitors

Won two years ago by Jamie Barton.

I was surprised that the tenor won last night. My pick tonight so far is the South African soprano Kelebogile Besong.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Haven't had a chance to see it. Was that the Maltese guy? I'm in Malta at the moment and hoping local TV gives some coverage. They usually go overboard if anyone Maltese does halfway well at anything.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

It seems a bit weird with 3 from USA and 3 from South Korea. I'm not sure that is doing the competition any favours. 2 from a country (perhaps male and female) seems okay, but 3 seems like they might be alienating some of their worldwide audience.

Sospiro, please keep the updates coming.

(For anyone who's not aware, this competition often produces opera stars of the future, including (memorably) Bryn Terfel and Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the same year. They won Leider, and main competition respectively. Hvorostovsky was clearly set for stardom.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Don Fatale said:


> It seems a bit weird with 3 from USA and 3 from South Korea. I'm not sure that is doing the competition any favours. 2 from a country (perhaps male and female) seems okay, but 3 seems like they might be alienating some of their worldwide audience.
> 
> Sospiro, please keep the updates coming.
> 
> (For anyone who's not aware, this competition often produces opera stars of the future, including (memorably) Bryn Terfel and Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the same year. They won Leider, and main competition respectively. Hvorostovsky was clearly set for stardom.


Do not forget *Karita Mattila*:tiphat:


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

The competition is certainly not what it was. When Mattila won she was a young singer with no career, and the competition rightly put her on the road to stardom. Ditto Terfel and Hvorostovsky. None of them had contracts with any opera house. They were all young, emerging singers.

Nowadays the majority of them already have an established career, and contracts, some in major opera houses. It has just become an opportunity for a singer to further promote and bump their career. It has lost the sense of discovery it once had, and hence the excitement too in my opinion.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

GregMitchell said:


> The competition is certainly not what it was. When Mattila won she was a young singer with no career, and the competition rightly put her on the road to stardom. Ditto Terfel and Hvorostovsky. None of them had contracts with any opera house. They were all young, emerging singers.
> 
> Nowadays the majority of them already have an established career, and contracts, some in major opera houses. It has just become an opportunity for a singer to further promote and bump their career. It has lost the sense of discovery it once had, and hence the excitement too in my opinion.


You make a valid point. Was Anja Harteros, who won in 1999, already a star?

There was a comment by (voice coach) Mary King which got me puzzled. She said "It's all in the voice" They're opera singers dear, so it (whatever _it_ is) isn't likely to be in the feet methinks.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Don Fatale said:


> Haven't had a chance to see it. Was that the Maltese guy? I'm in Malta at the moment and hoping local TV gives some coverage. They usually go overboard if anyone Maltese does halfway well at anything.


Lucky you to be in Malta! 

The Maltese tenor didn't win. Oleksiy Palchykov won the the first heat. Lauren Michelle won the second heat.

A review of some past winners.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

GregMitchell said:


> The competition is certainly not what it was. When Mattila won she was a young singer with no career, and the competition rightly put her on the road to stardom. Ditto Terfel and Hvorostovsky. None of them had contracts with any opera house. They were all young, emerging singers.
> 
> Nowadays the majority of them already have an established career, and contracts, some in major opera houses. It has just become an opportunity for a singer to further promote and bump their career. It has lost the sense of discovery it once had, and hence the excitement too in my opinion.


I recognize several of these singers' names from reading reviews in two German opera magazines -- Nadine Koutcher, Sebastian Pilgrim, Nico Darmanin, Jongmin Park, Regula Mühlemann, Ilker Arcayürek, and J'nai Bridges. And I think _Opera News_ ran a one-page feature story on Ryan Speedo Green in a recent issue.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

MAuer said:


> I recognize several of these singers' names from reading reviews in two German opera magazines -- Nadine Koutcher, Sebastian Pilgrim, Nico Darmanin, Jongmin Park, Regula Mühlemann, Ilker Arcayürek, and J'nai Bridges. And I think _Opera News_ ran a one-page feature story on Ryan Speedo Green in a recent issue.


Exactly. Whereas before it featured complete unknowns. I remember the thrill of the battle of the baritones when Hvorostovsky and Terfel were in the same production. It felt as if we were all in on a new discovery, which indeed we were.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

sospiro said:


> You make a valid point. Was Anja Harteros, who won in 1999, already a star?
> 
> There was a comment by (voice coach) Mary King which got me puzzled. She said "It's all in the voice" They're opera singers dear, so it (whatever _it_ is) isn't likely to be in the feet methinks.


Honestly, I don't know about Harteros. I thought she was a worthy winner.

As for the commentaries, they can be hilarious and often quite inane. Usually thy are over fulsome with their praise , but last year Karita Mattila refused to play ball when they brought her in to comment on the final. Rather than john in the general chorus of approval for each singer, she pointed out their faults and what she thought was lacking. I thought her comments were actually very well considered, but it made all the other presenters quite uncomfortable.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> Honestly, I don't know about Harteros. I thought she was a worthy winner.
> 
> As for the commentaries, they can be hilarious and often quite inane. Usually thy are over fulsome with their praise , but last year Karita Mattila refused to play ball when they brought her in to comment on the final. Rather than john in the general chorus of approval for each singer, she pointed out their faults and what she thought was lacking. I thought her comments were actually very well considered, but it made all the other presenters quite uncomfortable.


Principles and compulsive truth telling- a grim and grand duty- but someone's got to do it. _;D_

_Go Karita. _


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Score card if you're watching tonight. (click to enlarge) 



Party Plan


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

What did people think of the result to the Song Prize? Jongmin Park won, but there were some very strong contenders.

I think the Turkish tenor was the most stylish overall, but the highlight of the competition so far was Park's Ideale. This was sung in meltingly soft head tones. Magical! I'm not surprised he won.

N.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

The Conte said:


> What did people think of the result to the Song Prize? Jongmin Park won, but there were some very strong contenders.
> 
> I think the Turkish tenor was the most stylish overall, but the highlight of the competition so far was Park's Ideale. This was sung in meltingly soft head tones. Magical! I'm not surprised he won.
> 
> N.


I was delighted Jongmin Park won! I loved the Korean song very much.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

It's on now! Who's watching?

My predictions: the Mongolian for both the judges' and the audience prize.

He's just started!

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I put down the €5 to stream it here in the US so I am watching.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

We haven't heard a baritone with as rich a voice as rich as Amartuvshin Enkhbat in a long time. Nobody can deny that this is a great voice and he has flawless technique, but I would prefer more variety in his interpretation and I would like more soul.

I still think he will get the audience prize, and depending on how the others sing could be the judges' choice. In any case this is the next star baritone.

N.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

The Conte said:


> It's on now! Who's watching?
> 
> My predictions: the Mongolian for both the judges' and the audience prize.
> 
> ...


Me!

I hope Mr Mongolia wins. Maltman not that impressed!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Lauren Michelle is up next. I was totally blown away by the Grimes aria and I feel she is the most original of the competitors. In the right programme I think she could knock Amartuvshin off the top place.

Mmmmm... Just heard what she is going to sing, I think the Mongolian might have it...

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I just watched Lauren Michelle in Round 2; singing two arias in English and E strano from La Traviata. I don't know the Britten but thought she sounded wonderful in each of the other two, with lots of drama.

Quite a selection of arias for her finale program, giving a chance to show her range. We'll see how it goes.

Program for the Finale.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Loved Lauren's Massenet, but the Korngold seems undersung for me. I imagine her "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" will be very exciting.

I feel that she peaked during her heat round, though. The baritone has got it!

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

Her pianissimo in the Korngold sounded lovely. I wasn't sold on the Mozart.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

mountmccabe said:


> I just watched Lauren Michelle in Round 2; singing two arias in English and E strano from La Traviata. I don't know the Britten but thought she sounded wonderful in each of the other two, with lots of drama.
> 
> Quite a selection of arias for her finale program, giving a chance to show her range. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> Program for the Finale.


Thanks for the programme. They all look like winning choices to me, designed to impress and show what they can do (Una furtiva lagrimar; Bell Song; Eri Tu and La Calunnia, plus other pieces to show that they can handle a variety of styles and languages). Lauren's strength is her emotional attachment to what she sings, she could have chosen arias that are at least as passionate in content as the Massenet. The Mozart and the Korngold didn't show her at her best. It's a shame, she has so much to bring to the world of opera.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I'm not convinced by the tenor: muddy fioriture in the Mozart, tight high notes in the Donizetti (Ach so fromm is going well, so a good one for him to end on).

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I am liking Oleksiy Palchykov. His voice is on the light side, the Flotow and Lehár have been very good for his voice.

He is also a little doofy in a charming way that works.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I agree his voice really suits the Flotow and Lehar. He saved the best till last.

Can't wait to hear Koutcher's Bell Song.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

So what do you think of Nadine?

Only one more contestant to go!

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

Overall I liked Nadine Koutcher, but she had a little trouble at the high end. The Bell Song was a bold choice but I don't think it quite worked.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Jongmin Park is doing it for me, and yet I didn't think he was having a good night on his round. He connects with the emotional content of the music he is singing in a wonderfully sincere way.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

mountmccabe said:


> Overall I liked Nadine Koutcher, but she had a little trouble at the high end. The Bell Song was a bold choice but I don't think it quite worked.


I agree, some wonderful moments, but she didn't quite pull it off.

N.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm following @sinfinimusic on twitter. Hilarious!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

So this competition started with a young Bass called Jongmin Park on Tuesday night and I wasn't impressed, he had a weak voice, a lack of commitment and didn't convince me in the slightest.

To my surprise the judges chose him as their 'wild card'. I then heard him in yesterday's Song Prize final and wasn't taken with his Schubert, then he sang Ideale by Tosti in heart-breaking, heady pianissimi and I was completely moved for the first time since following the competition. He followed this with a Korean song that he delivered with the maximum passion possible.

However, song is one thing, opera another. There was no way this singer could win the contest, he didn't even win his round. Now I am listening to the last piece of the week and I have to say that Jongmin Park is not only the one I want to win, I think he will win. The Mongolian (and those who think he's been robbed will get the audience prize). I may be wrong, of course, but this bass is exceptional!

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Nadine Koutcher has won! Park was robbed!!! (Audience Prize went to Enkhbat.)

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I thought Jongmin Park sounded great as well, especially in _La Gioconda_. I've liked everyone I've heard today, though everyone also has their limitations.

Congratulations to Nadine Koutcher for winning the top prize, and to Amartuvshin Enkhbat for winning the audience prize.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Congratulations to both Amartuvshin Enkhba and Nadine Koutcher. I wanted Park to win but there you go!


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