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Welsh Singers Competition
Monday 16 June 2008
St David's Hall, Cardiff
Simon was one of the jury judging the final of the Welsh Singers Competition; this will determine the Welsh entrant for Cardiff Singer of the World in 2009. The full jury was: Julian Smith (Chairman), Rebecca Evans, Elaine Padmore, SK and Philip Langridge. They will have to choose between three sopranos and one tenor
Mike Smith, Western Mail, June 9, 2008
As the countdown continues to the Welsh Singers competition, opera star Bryn Terfel adds his support. But he tells Mike Smith he's glad he failed to win a major competition at the start of his career it might have been a shock decision at the time, but almost 20 years after Bryn Terfel failed to win the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World title, he says it was the right decision.
And he says that despite national pride, the Welsh public knew the Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky was the rightful winner.
But with a remarkably international career, Terfel is now happy to shrug it off with a "c'est la vie" and says he is glad he didn't win.
"Winning the competition just wasn't to be," he says with a stoic smile.
"How different would my career have been if I had won in 1989. It would have been immensely different but thankfully I didn't win it.
"Although I had the hopes of the nation riding on me, they know I shouldn't have won."
But our brightest star in the operatic firmament is a passionate supporter of the opportunity given to young singers in Wales by singing competitions.
He is patron of the Welsh Singers Competition, which he won in 1988 and which led him to represent Wales in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World the following year.
In a fiercely contested competition, the young Russian took the title and Terfel was awarded the inaugural Lieder Prize which has developed into the competition's Song Prize.
Both men have subsequently enjoyed massively successful careers on the world's opera stages and in recording studios.
That same path is about to be attempted by four young singers who have reached the final of the 2008 Welsh Singers Competition to be held at St David's Hall, Cardiff, next Monday.
"I remember winning the Welsh Singers Competition in 1983. It was held in the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea and it was a very good year with Jason Howard and Gail Pearson. What an opportunity for a young singer," says Terfel, who lives with his wife Lesley and three young sons near Caernarfon.
"It is a huge stepping stone for a young singer for what can definitely be a real breakthrough in your career."
This year's judges include Grammy Award-winning soprano Rebecca Evans and leading baritone Simon Keenlyside, both of whom are colleagues and friends of Terfel.
"I love to hear young singers and also hear about the young singers coming out of the colleges," he says.
"I have been talking to Simon and Rebecca about the singers they have auditioned for the Welsh Singers Competition and have been hearing the names of singers that have stood out for them.
"I would love to be on the panel of the competition but as patron I cannot. I would love to be part of what is a wonderful stepping stone in a young person's career – as it was with me.
"I do think I should have waited two years before taking part in Cardiff Singer though. When I took part it was the one competition, there wasn't the song prize. I hope the competition stays as it is now, a wonderful competition that concentrates totally on the voice.
"I don't think they should make any more demands on the singers as they are still young voices."
This year's finalists are Laura Parfitt, soprano, from Risca; John Pierce, tenor, from Holywell; Claire Watkins, soprano, from Haverfordwest and Natalya Romaniw, soprano, from Swansea.
The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,000 plus a trophy. The other finalists will each receive a cash prize of £750.
The competition concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru on June 22 at 2.30pm
Mike Smith, Seen & Heard
The Welsh Singers' Competition 2008 : Soprano Natalya Romaniw takes the prize
Twenty one year old Natalya Romaniw given the key to the door of a sparkling opera career when she was named winner of the Welsh Singers Competition. Natalya from Swansea fought off stiff competition to take the £2,000 prize – and automatic entry to BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009.
A student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, Natalya is well know to opera lovers in Wales having sung Anne Trulove in Welsh National Youth Opera’s Rake’s Progress at Wales Millennium Centre.
With another year of college still to compete, she has already been signed up by WNO to sing Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme next year. Natalya follows in the footsteps of Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans by being selected winner of the competition.
The other finalists were John Pierce, 25, from Holywell, Claire Watkins, 27, from Haverfordwest and Laura Parfitt, 30, from Risca.
Singing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the three sopranos and one tenor rose to the challenge of competing against each other not only for a £2,000 cash prize but automatic entry in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009. In front of hundreds of opera fans and a distinguished panel of judges at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, the hopefuls controlled their nerves to give glorious performances.
Each of the other finalists received an extremely useful £750 and the rare experience of performing in their national concert hall.
Making the decision as to who will win a £2,000 cash prize, a Welsh Royal Crystal Trophy and go on to represent Wales in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 the judges included Grammy Award winning soprano and past Welsh Singers Competition winner Rebecca Evans.
Rebecca was joined on the judging panel are international singers baritone Simon Keenlyside and tenor Philip Langridge, Elaine Padmore, Director of the Opera Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Julian Smith Music Adviser to BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, freelance conductor and former Head of Music at Welsh National Opera.
Opera audiences will see two of the finalists in action again before next June’s BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. Natalya will sing Musetta in La Boheme next year with Welsh National Opera while Laura will be singing Rosina in Barber of Seville with the company. The four singers’ performances with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite will be broadcast by Radio Cymru on Sunday, June 22.
The 2006 competition winner Sarah-Jane Davies, who went on to represent Wales in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2007, is now enjoying a successful career with highly-acclaimed performances at home and abroad.
This starts the countdown to BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 and the worldwide search for the other finalists starts this autumn with the call already gone out on the competition’s website: www.bbc.co.uk/cardiffsinger