Round 2 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

round with a filling programme including music by Elgar. Tonight

five more singers from Italy, Russia, Hungary, South Africa and

for the first time Egypt launch their campaign for the title BBC

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

capital by storm. The singers have been meeting and rehearsing with the

orchestra for the first time. Under the slate of the Welsh Millennium

Centre, the singers meet the cameras. For some, this week could

establish their global profile. This is truly a city of song. Cardiff is

a world operatic capital this week. Casting directors, agents and opera

fans have travelled here to spot new talent. We have seen plenty already.

Jamie Barton winning last night's first round. In just under 90

minutes we will know the identity of our second winner. Mary King is

back. Our special guest tonight is one of the magic 15 to have claimed

the title BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, Katerina Karneus, welcome

back. Let us remind ourselves of CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

What an evening it was. Does this bring it right back being back here

again? Absolutely. It's wonderful being here. That evening in 1995

completely transformed my life and my career. I haven't looked back

since. We will talk more about that as the evening progresses. Mary,

there is something about an air of mystery about tonight's line-up?

Yes. I'm excited. At the rehearsal this afternoon many of the singers

marked their entire programme. They half sang, they painted the picture,

but not completely filled it in entirely. We don't really know what

to expect. It's very exciting. looking forward to some great

operatic repertoire. Pure pleasure from Cardiff tonight and all this

week on BBC Four. Let us meet tonight's competitors. Josie D'Arby

will introduce us to the first of them. Alexey Bogdanchikov bog a

baritone from Russia. Gala El Hadidi a mezzo-soprano. Loriana Castellano,

another mezzo. Base baritone, Luthando Qave from South Africa. To

start everything off, Maria Celeng a studying in Munich. Her competitive

streak doesn't only apply to music. When you play chess, do you always

want to win? Oh, yes. Yes, yes.Do you feel the same way about this

competition? Well, yes. If I can give my best and still I cannot make

it to the final, then I will say, OK, I gave my best. But I would win

the Olympic gold medal it would be the same really. Same feeling.

hoping to sweep the board tonight, Maria Celeng from Hungary. 25 years

old. One of the youngest in the competition. The Welsh National

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Opera. She begins with one of the CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Handel to begin, Celeng's choice instrument and wonderful expression

in her singing. Atmospheric music accompanying this tale of forbidden

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

medical school, but she decided her medical school, but she decided her

talent lay in the voice. Maria says she is happy to be singing in front

of Dame Kiri. That was a fantastic way to start? Absolutely. With her

beautiful voice and... She has an inner emotion that comes out. It

moves you. It moved me anyway. delighted the audience. It's a tough

role to carry off? I'm being picky. This is a beautiful voice with

wonderful line and technical wonderful line and technical

wonderful line and technical artistry. It's a part that is

decided by how strong your voice is in the middle and the bottom not by

wonderful top ringing top notes. You have to centre it. It is a weighty

part. She is too light for me. looks terrific. There is a real

character to her on stage? Absolutely. She tells the story she

is inside the character she is singing. I agree with Mary, I do

hope she is careful with what repertoire she chuteses. Let us hear

what she reckoned to her performance. She is with Josie. To

the Moon a beautiful piece. How do you feel it went? Went well. I have

a good feeling for others also. I enjoyed it. I have to hear it back

then I can... Then you can judge? Yes. You used to watch this

competition back home in Hungary, how did it feel now you are on the

stage in Cardiff? Yes, I was thinking before I went on the stage

- now I'm here, I saw on monitors. I'm very happy. Exciting. It's happy

excitement. It's good. She finished her repertoire with Song to the

Moon. I would say the Aria is even more famous. We will hear it twice

tonight. Presenting his calling card with great gusto. Mary cut to the

chase and combed the archives to explore the styling of opera's

opera. He is the star of not just one, but two of the most famous

operas of all-time. He is at the heart of Mozart Marriage of Figaro.

He has one of the greatest musical entrances ever written. The Figaro

of the basher of Seville is a basher. He is so much more than a

hairdresser. He is a loveable wide boy who will sort out anything for

anybody on the slide, so long as the money is right. -- sly. Remember, a

basher is also a surgeon. Treating your nasty little diseases with the

traditional blood letting. The red and white of the basher's pole

represents blood stained bandages. Demand is very high for Figaro's

services. Everyone is calling for him. The many high notes show his

exuberance. The rapid fire implies intrigue and conspiracy. There is

more than a schmaltering of horray for me. Figaro's not just a loveable

rogue or a vain peacock, he is a little of both. The best singers

have to use everything provided for them, it requires technical

resources and gives something extra. Only then can they reveal the

complete person behind the basher's the capital of Uzbekistan. He joined

the local opera company aged eight but wasn't keen to go on the road.

He told me all the time that it could be a very good opportunity to

get somewhere to see the world. To travel a lot. I was like, no, I

don't want. I want to live, I don't care about all this stuff. Great

acoustic. For me it's very important to be here in Cardiff and to

represent my country. A lot of people can watch you and hear your

voice and for our profession it's very important. Here is Alexey

Bogdanchikov to start with Verdi. Don Carlos's great friend lies dying

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

singing from Verdi's don Carlo. Beautiful voice. Totally in command.

Now he has to move from noble Marquis to lovelorn clown in

Korngold's serenade of lost love from Korngold's opera Die Tote

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

a voice like his. A complete change of mood to finish the first

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

performance of the night. The go-to performance of Figaro's aria from

The Barber of Seville. You were talking about how challenging

Figaro's aria can be. How did Alexey manage? I don't think he is a

natural Figaro. He is a contained inward performer. I think the other

suited him best. You have to be abandoned in Figaro. I think he

missed that. Technically, it was fantastic. From Korngold you had the

despair? He found his inner self. I wonder if he is quite nervous and

well disguised. I felt there was tension... He talked to us about how

as a child he could sing without nerves what so ever. As he gets

older he finds it increasingly difficult. There didn't appear to be

nerves on the surface? It's important it have nerves. You have

to. It's like... He was very still, our soprano was painting every

phrase, too much movement really. Trying to sculpt the phrases with

her hands much he was very still. The truth lies somewhere in the

middle. Let us find out what he thought of his performance. Over to

Josie. That final aria full of challenges, were you enjoying your

self-up there? Me? Oh, it's very difficult to judge my myself I think

I wouldn't say so. By the smile on your face you seemed to be having a

good time though? I tried to do my best. I tried to be nice also.

came across as delightful. The audience here at St David's Hall

clearly loved your performance. Here at Cardiff Singer the people who

decide who will make it through to this Sunday's final are of course

our judges. The competition's judges. Is this person actually

Singer has introduced some of the greatest singers of today. We hope

we will add to it this week. There they are in their position at the

back of the stalls. I wonder what they are thinking? All will be

revealed in an hours' time. There is more music and drama to come before

we have a decision. Cardiff Singer may be 30 years old, but we still

like to break new ground. Our next singer, Gala El Hadidi, is the first

Egyptian to represent her country here. Josie has met her. Gala was

born in Cairo and now works in Dresden. These days she finds it

difficult to perform back home where the new government is cutting back

western art forms like opera. there is a certain political

pressure on me, in the sense that I want to make a statement if

Egyptians and if the government sees it that we know we are not going

down without a fight. Is it like being here for you where the

classical arts are embraced? I'm in heaven. I'm being pampered. Everyone

in Cardiff is treating us as if we are superstars. I never thought in a

million years I would be actually doing this in Cardiff. I'm here. I

still knock-on my head and go, "I'm Here she comes. Starting her set

Backstage there with Graeme Jenkins. Here she comes. Starting her set

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

operatic character. Next Delilah trying to establish the sources of

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Samson's strength in Saint Saen Saen opera, Samson and Delilah. To

finish, Venus in Silk is an operetta by Robert Stoltz, Viennese

songwriter. At a grand party Princess recalls her Polish home

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Stoltz. Gala is here with her mother, like her, fiercely proud of

Cairo's operatic tradition which she dubbing Disney movies into Arabic in

Cairo. She says getting to Cardiff Singer is living her dream. Let us

talk our way through the programme, first of all Stoltz which you have

sung I sang it several times. It is a wonderful number. She choice the

repertoire well tonight. To end by that number by Stoltz, it not

well-known. He wrote 70operattas, we don't hear them often. A great

ender. Young sing verse to learn that the music they love isn't

necessarily on a world stage what they should be singing. All those

pieces require required sensuality in the voice, temptation in the

voice, it means fatness of the sound. She can't quite do it yet.

was a programme, every single song was for a vamp. A highly sexually

charged figure? It was a seducing programme indeed. Maybe she is not

quite the see duct res yet. could see her as Carmen if you were

a director? Absolutely.Back to Josie. Our first ever singer from

Egypt. Do you feel you did your country proud? I hope so. I had fun.

It was great audience and great energy. I was a little bit tense, I

have to say. It was awe stm. The orchestra. You couldn't ask for a

bet are orchestra or better conductor or night. In the audience

your mother made it over. It must be great to have that support? It's

lovely having someone over from Egypt, especially my mum. I would

love my dad to have been here. He couldn't come. Especially during the

days it's nice to feel support from back home. She changed seats. She

was in the middle and going like... I don't blame her, she wanted a

closer look. Yeah.Thank you. 30 years of Cardiff Singer lots about

the rich history of the competition at the website. Do tweet us your

memories of Cardiff, what about those who slipped through the net as

well as those singers who became famous. We have a memory wall as

well. On that memory wall Dorothy has written - my great memory of

Cardiff Singer, Katerina Karneus. Clear winner in 1995. All wonderful.

Was it really a wonderful experience? Absolutely. It was a

truly wonderful experience. It s a wonderful place. People are so

friendly. They look after you. I know they are in good hands these

young singers here. Happened after you won? The phone went ringing,

started ringing, all the concert houses, all the opera houses in the

world started phoning asking my availablity. Wonderful having you

back with us this evening. We will hear more from you later on. I

wonder whether it be another mezzo that win this is year? Our second of

the night is the first of two Italian singers in Cardiff this

her singing teacher told her she had a fantastic voice. Before that her

passion had been that other great Italian obsession, football.

played with my brothers when I was young and in a family team. Football

very competitive. Are you enjoying the competitive aspect of this

process? Yes. It's competitive, but I love the team and the work with

the person. We will see if you can score the winning goal here in

Cardiff. For now, try and get one past me. Oh. I'm very happy to be

here, but it would be a dream to win CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Can she score an operatic goal tonight? Loriana brings a tasty

programme with her, Mozart to begin, the great aria from La Clemenza di

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Tito where Sesto agreeses to additions in Milan for this year's

Cardiff Singer. Another of the classical world's Sesto's next in

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

A happy ending to Loriana's Cardiff choices. Cinderella has married her

Prince and is in the mood for forgiveness. A sparkling operatic

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

of her culture. My guest sang that aria in 1995 when you won Cardiff

Singer of the World. You know it very well? I do.How was that

performance? She gave it all she had. I do have a slight concern when

it comes to the technical issues. It looks hard for her. It shouldn't be

hard. It should be easy. How do you make it easy? Basically, the body is

your instrument. The whole body. It concerns me a lot when I see singers

not using their support properly. They are singing from up here. It

takes years. It is like being an athlete. That should go out on a

race for 100 m. Have you to be fit, warmed up, you have to have all your

body with you. She is 32. One of the older singers. It is something you

can change, presumably? You can. It takes several years. Is at home sing

singing? Very stylish and confident with the runs. Very confident with

the ornaments. She felt she inhabited that material. To Josie.

You study so long to get to this point in your career, did you sing

as you hoped you would today? very excited. I don't know how I had

to sing. I'm very happy. Now I can relax and to listen to the other

singers. Exactly. You earnt it. Relax and enjoy the rest of the

competition. Thank you very much. All of tonight's singers are taking

part in the Song Prize. The heats at the Royal Welsh College of Music and

Drama are now over. You can hear the contenders singing Brahms, Debussy,

Barber and much more on Radio Three tomorrow. The song Prize Final is

here on BBC Four on Saturday night. Our final singer of the night in

this second round is someone who has a very special connection with BBC

Cardiff Singer of the World. Lch uthando is in his final year of

study at the college in New York. was undescribable. I feel like I

have develop developed more for opera music especially for the

baritone. It, basically, changed my life. Coming to Cardiff is a dream

come true. With the Cardiff Singer of the World title I couldn't look

at. It my heart started to beat so fast. I hoped it. I couldn't

breathe. I was so excited. I was like - I'm not dying today I have to

sing for the Cardiff Singer of the World that was really, really

his heroes. He beginses his entry as Rossini's KBarber of Seville, Figaro

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

of Spades. He did a wonderful thought I might have seen a tear?

small lump. I think Yeletsky it was the least successful. This is a

huge, huge thing his voice isn't consistently powerful at top and

bottom and middle. He can't ride the orchestra. We straebd he was our

barber expert? It was full of humour and wit. It was natural, completely

organic. He was loving it. I think he was also concentrating a bit

extra. He had a little frog it was hard to go with it. I have to

forgive him a little bit there. end, did you enjoy that Absolutely.

I was surprised by the piece. It was Placido Domingo's favourites much he

coped with the top beautifully. Really thrilled. Beautiful.

talked yesterday about the change of the opera man as it were. South

Africa is a good example of that. When Cardiff Singer started 30 years

ago we didn't know of many famous South African singers. They seem to

be coming thick and fast. A lot from Cape Town Opera. There are different

pockets of activity. Wonderful voices, especially in the men,

especially the baritones, many sound like tenors but bar stones.

Backstage to Josie. We were watching you and you have sang on that stage

in the competition, how does it feel? It feels great. I feel like it

could have been better. I got sick last night. I have been trying to

fight this phelm. We know.I enjoyed. It I loved singing there.

Going back to my throat again. I hope it was a different throat.

know. Nevertheless, I'm sure somewhere you inspired a young

singer as you were inspired. Thank you very very much. Has stepped out

because the Chairman of the Cardiff Singer jury this year Nicholas Payne

has joined us. He started his opera administration career at the Royal

Opera moved here to the Welsh National opera before running the

opera North and ENO. He has a gorgeous voice. Us how you mark the

competitors? We mark one to five, quite simply. We put them in order.

We don't consult among each other. Talking at all? There is talking

afterwards. If it's very close of course you have a little bit of an

argument. Your first time Chairing, are you enjoying yourself? Better to

be member of a jury than singing. I was thinking, my good goodness I'm

glad I'm not a singer. Lots of heated discussion here in St David's

Hall about who should win tonight's heat. The winner this evening may

not necessarily go through to Sunday's final. On the other hand

there might be more than one singer from tonight who make it is through.

That final live on BBC Four on Sunday night starting at 7. 7.30pm.

Mary is back in her seat. Let us ourselves of the singers we heard

this evening. Starting with Maria Celeng? Glorious, soprano. Beautiful

woman. I don't think she choose quite the right repertoire. Very

accomplished and great potential. First of all, Alexey Bogdanchikov

from Russia Beautiful technique. Even voice throughout the range. I

don't know if he was a slight bit nervous tonight. I really great

singer voice, I believe. Luthando Qave natural singer and performer.

Difficult choice. How did the two compare? For me, the two combined

together and shaken up in a whisk would be the best baritone to win

tonight. What about the mezzo-soprano. Let us start with

Gala El Hadidi It's very difficult judging. I lacked some kind of line

or compassion in her performance. She choice audience friendly

repertoire. She sang it. It was wonderful. I felt she was working so

hard. That worried me. It shouldn't look hard for us. If you had to pick

a winner who will win? It's tough. It might be Miss Hungary. I somehow

think Miss Hungary will win as well. I would have loved to have seen

Luthando go through as well. Maria Celeng gets your vote. Let us find

out what the jury have decided. Here are the jury, led by Dame Kiri Ta

Kanawa, Dame Felicity Palm mesh. Hakan Hargegard and Neil Schicoff

and Marin Hofmeister. And Hansen. The winner we have choosen is Maria

Celeng. The soprano from Hungary wins this second round of BBC

Cardiff Singer of the World 2013. Not a surprise. She was the clear

favourite tonight. I'm pleased about it. She has a lovely voice. She is

is a true singer. Mary? Aagree. Some work to do technically. Gloriously

full of potential. Maria Celeng from Hungary, winner of Round 2. We will

be back tomorrow at 7. 30pm when we will hear from the Welsh entrant