:00:10. > :00:14.It's been described as the world's greatest singing competition. 20 of
:00:14. > :00:19.the world's best young opera singers go head to head. A jury of
:00:20. > :00:29.opera Legends. At stake, the most coveted prize in opera. It's BBC
:00:30. > :00:57.
:00:57. > :01:06.Every two years St David's Hall in Cardiff becomes a magnet for the
:01:06. > :01:09.best young opera talent from around the world. Ever since Finnish
:01:09. > :01:11.Soprano Karita Mattila was named the first BBC Cardiff Singer of the
:01:11. > :01:14.World back in 1983 the competition's international status
:01:14. > :01:18.has been guaranteed. It's since launched some of the biggest names
:01:18. > :01:23.in opera. This time 600 singers representing 68 countries have been
:01:23. > :01:27.auditioned. Just 20 remain to battle it out here in Cardiff -
:01:27. > :01:37.each hoping to convince the Jury that they have what it takes to be
:01:37. > :01:37.
:01:37. > :01:42.the next BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. All they have to do is show
:01:42. > :01:47.us what they can do and do it well. All judges and audience members are
:01:47. > :01:50.longing for the extraordinary. This is such a great opportunity
:01:51. > :01:55.for any young singer to be seen and heard.
:01:56. > :02:00.If I go there and sing to the best of my capacity, that's all that I
:02:00. > :02:05.want. To have a chance to just sing to the world, that's what it is all
:02:05. > :02:09.about. If you win the The professional
:02:09. > :02:15.world takes notice. We need to see a performance. We
:02:15. > :02:19.need to see what they are capable It's got to be ace, it is the
:02:19. > :02:29.competition. It is so intense, so exciting, but
:02:29. > :02:31.
:02:31. > :02:34.it is one hell of an experience. Just a flavour of the drama and
:02:34. > :02:39.excitement we have in store for you over the next week. Extensive
:02:39. > :02:42.coverage starts on BBC Four on Tuesday night a 7.30pm. I'll be
:02:42. > :02:45.joined by Josie D'Arby throughout the week for all the backstage news
:02:45. > :02:54.together with a guest list of stars from the opera world who'll be
:02:54. > :02:59.offering their expert opinions and insights. Then the Grand Final.
:02:59. > :03:09.That is here on BBC Two, next Sunday, a week tomorrow, starting
:03:09. > :03:11.at 5.30pm. Do ut put the date in your diary.
:03:11. > :03:21.Two years ago the title went to Russian Soprano, Ekaterina
:03:21. > :03:26.
:03:26. > :03:31.Scherbachenko. Ekaterina was a great winner. She had everything, a
:03:32. > :03:35.great voice, a great communicating skill and as a by-product,
:03:35. > :03:40.tremendous beauty, but she was ready to fly. She was really ready
:03:40. > :03:44.to start to undertake really big engagements. That is an ideal time
:03:44. > :03:49.to be in the competition and, of course if you win it, that's the
:03:49. > :03:56.cherry on the cake. I have a lot of good memories about
:03:56. > :04:01.the time in Cardiff. It was a touring opportunity, it was a
:04:01. > :04:09.turning point in my career, in my life. I was really happy in that
:04:09. > :04:18.moment. Of course, after this competition,
:04:18. > :04:24.now I have a lot of work, a lot of engagements, I will sing in such
:04:24. > :04:29.beautiful, such great places like La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera in
:04:29. > :04:34.New York, the 2012 Glyndebourne Festival. I'm excited about it.
:04:34. > :04:42.This competition, it really is helpful for singers! It is really
:04:42. > :04:45.working! Less than two years on from her victory in Cardiff,
:04:45. > :04:55.Ekaterina is performing in Milan at one of the world's great opera
:04:55. > :04:57.
:04:58. > :05:04.houses. Right now we are in La Scala. Today is my last performance
:05:04. > :05:14.of turr Turandot here. The role of Liu is not new to
:05:14. > :05:15.
:05:15. > :05:23.Ekaterina. The slave girl's piece, is one the pieces she performed in
:05:23. > :05:33.the final. When I am singing it helps me with
:05:33. > :05:39.
:05:39. > :05:46.this engagement, "Signore Ascolta". It was always exciting. It was
:05:46. > :05:51.always great to feel that we are on the stage of La Scala, wow!
:05:51. > :05:55.Ekaterina is a hit in Milan. She is making her debut at the
:05:55. > :06:05.Metropolitan Opera in New York next year and appearing at the 2012
:06:05. > :06:06.
:06:06. > :06:10.Glyndebourne Festival. I wonder if you spotted the
:06:10. > :06:18.unmistakable figure of Dame Joan Sutherland. Presenting the trophy
:06:18. > :06:23.to Ekaterina two years ago. Sadly, it was the last of her appearances.
:06:23. > :06:29.Dame Joan Sutherland was hugely loved by the audiences here in
:06:29. > :06:34.Cardiff. She went on to be a juror in five consective competitions. In
:06:34. > :06:42.2003, she became Cardiff Singer's first patron. Sadly, she died last
:06:42. > :06:47.October. Dame Joan Sutherland had a career
:06:47. > :06:57.spanning nearly 45 years. She is widely regarded at the greatest
:06:57. > :07:01.
:07:01. > :07:05.coloratura soprano of her, or indeed of any generation.
:07:05. > :07:10.Dame Joan Sutherland was an extraordinary performer and an
:07:10. > :07:16.absolutely astonishing singer. She could turn her voice on a pin, you
:07:16. > :07:26.know, absolutely effortless flow of limb pid, liquid, gorgeous tone. I
:07:26. > :07:27.
:07:27. > :07:33.mean, it could not be beaten. It never has been beaten, in my view.
:07:33. > :07:38.She was one of the all-time greats. Instantly recognisable. Exciting.
:07:38. > :07:48.Bringing people to the edge of their seats because of the
:07:48. > :07:48.
:07:48. > :07:55.precision, the beauty of the sound, combined with the technical range
:07:55. > :07:59.of her voice. She was unique. She will go down in history. Despite
:07:59. > :08:06.poor health in recent years, Dame Joan Sutherland refused to miss her
:08:06. > :08:10.favourite event. After a fall, in 2008, in which she broke both legs
:08:10. > :08:15.she still insisted on taking her place at St David's Hall in the
:08:16. > :08:19.final of that year. A rising welcome for Dame Joan
:08:19. > :08:26.Sutherland. She was determined to take her place. A standing ovation
:08:26. > :08:36.for her. Dame Joan Sutherland, who will be
:08:36. > :08:47.
:08:47. > :08:50.greatly missed by us all. For the winner it can propel them
:08:50. > :08:53.onto the international stage. And if you like to keep an eye on the
:08:53. > :08:57.odds, the voice type most likely to succeed here in Cardiff is the
:08:57. > :09:00.Soprano. Of the 14 winners, half of them have been Soprano's. So we
:09:00. > :09:10.asked leading Welsh Soprano Elin Manahan Thomas to give us a guide
:09:10. > :09:11.
:09:11. > :09:17.to the bookies favourite! Soprano, the word comes from the Italian,
:09:17. > :09:23.Sopra, meaning above. This is the highest of the female voice types.
:09:23. > :09:31.Now, I may be biased, but I like to think that we get the best tunes.
:09:31. > :09:41.Thing of the magnificent Queen of the Night aria, or how about
:09:41. > :09:45.
:09:45. > :09:51.puecheena's glorious -- puecheen ee's glorious Ba binoCario.
:09:51. > :09:58.As with the other vocal categories, there are different types of
:09:58. > :10:04.soprano. There is the light soprano. The lyric soprano, they saing the
:10:04. > :10:11.heavier Mozart and bigger dramatic roles. The dramatic soprano
:10:11. > :10:20.dominates the Verdi. Then there is the one that gets the fireworks,
:10:20. > :10:26.the colour soprano. We sopranos may get the big tunes,
:10:26. > :10:36.but we still get it tough. There are more of us on the singing
:10:36. > :10:37.
:10:38. > :10:41.sirbity than any other voice type. Ekaterina Scherbachenko was up
:10:41. > :10:48.against many and half of the winners of the Cardiff Singer of
:10:48. > :10:52.the World 2011 have been sopranos. You see, we are too ordinary. There
:10:52. > :11:02.are ten sopranos taking part. Three from the American continent. Five
:11:02. > :11:02.
:11:02. > :11:06.from Europe. One from South Korea and one from
:11:06. > :11:09.New Zealand. We'll hear more from Elin later in
:11:09. > :11:17.the programme as she guides us through the different voice types
:11:17. > :11:20.taking part in this year's competition. But now let's meet
:11:20. > :11:30.three of this year's competitors and find out first hand what it
:11:30. > :11:33.
:11:33. > :11:37.means to be taking part in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. The
:11:37. > :11:40.singers representing Germany, Bulgaria and Romania are are based
:11:40. > :11:46.here in Milan. That great city of Italian opera.
:11:46. > :11:51.When I was a small girl. When I was young, because my family is in a
:11:51. > :11:56.singing position, my mother sang with me. As a smile child I started
:11:56. > :12:01.to sing in a children's choir when I was five, when I'm at home, I'm
:12:01. > :12:06.still singing with them, it was so beautiful.
:12:06. > :12:11.I started singing in the high school. I have the luck to meet a
:12:11. > :12:21.good teacher. He guided me well in this. Now I'm 26 years old and I'm
:12:21. > :12:21.
:12:21. > :12:27.happy to be here. I started singing when I was very
:12:27. > :12:32.young in a children's choir of the Bulgarian National Radio. We
:12:32. > :12:38.traveled all over the world. It was an amazing time for me. That is how
:12:38. > :12:45.I decided to become an opera singer. Five years ago I met my husband,
:12:45. > :12:50.who is an Italian conductor. So, I came here, I really love Italy. It
:12:50. > :12:57.is absolutely my second native land. I feel at home here.
:12:58. > :13:01.Serban came to Italy to perform, while Suzanne studies at the
:13:01. > :13:05.Academy of La Scala. All three are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to
:13:05. > :13:11.perform in Cardiff. There are so many great and
:13:11. > :13:15.talented singers in the whole world. Now I'm one of the 20 singers. It
:13:16. > :13:21.is unbelievable. I am so proud to take a part in this competition.
:13:21. > :13:28.is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I know it will change my life, if
:13:28. > :13:33.even standing there it will change my life. Cardiff is the competition.
:13:33. > :13:38.I don't feel stressed or nervous. I just want to go and perform and
:13:38. > :13:42.enjoy. I'm really happy about it We will meet three more competitors
:13:42. > :13:45.in this year's competition later nonthe programme. Now, dedicated
:13:45. > :13:50.followers of Cardiff Singer of the World 2011 will know that the last
:13:50. > :13:52.time a Mezzo won here was Guang Yang from China. That was 14 years
:13:52. > :14:00.ago. Elin Manahan Thomas continues her
:14:00. > :14:06.look at the different voice types with the mezzo-soprano.
:14:06. > :14:12.In the term mezzo-soprano. Mezzo comes from the Italian for middle.
:14:12. > :14:16.It is the middle range for a female voice. Not as high as soprano, not
:14:16. > :14:26.as low as contralto. Mezzo have rich voices. The roles that they
:14:26. > :14:27.
:14:27. > :14:37.play make the most of this. Think of Bizet's karmen.
:14:37. > :14:45.
:14:45. > :14:53.Mezzo's often play what are called trouser roles in operas, in other
:14:53. > :15:01.words they play men. Mozart's Caribino is a favourite,
:15:01. > :15:06.but in the concert hall's of St David's Hall they still stick to
:15:07. > :15:10.wearing a dress. In this year's competition, mezzo-sopranos from
:15:10. > :15:16.Ireland, Russia and Australia will all try to take the title back home
:15:16. > :15:20.with them. As ever, there is a formidable jury
:15:20. > :15:23.for Cardiff Singer of the World 2011, the line up this year
:15:23. > :15:30.includes operatic legends like Marilyn Horne, Hakan Hagegard,
:15:30. > :15:34.Dennis O'Neil and for the first time, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. They
:15:34. > :15:40.will announce a winner at the end of prelimb Narey rounds, but then
:15:40. > :15:46.keep us guessing as to the line-up to the Grand Final. They will not
:15:46. > :15:50.say who the finalists are until the end of the last four preliminaries.
:15:50. > :15:58.So tension pretty much guaranteeed. Alongside the main competition
:15:58. > :16:04.there is the Song Prize. It has produced impressive winners itself.
:16:04. > :16:10.It also produced Wales' first singer, Bryn Terfel.
:16:10. > :16:15.The Song Prize presents a very different set of challenges.
:16:15. > :16:20.Song and opera are two distinct ways of performing, but they carry
:16:20. > :16:25.within them the same core that you have to get across. Both involve
:16:25. > :16:30.text, to get across the composing tensions, but perhaps with opera it
:16:30. > :16:36.is a broader brush. There is a whole Orchestra to compete with.
:16:36. > :16:41.With Recitals you can be finer with the details.
:16:41. > :16:45.It is quite rare to find a really good opera singer who also sings
:16:45. > :16:49.song, as it is a totally different medium. The stage is different, the
:16:49. > :16:59.music is different. The texts are different. You are dealing rather
:16:59. > :17:04.
:17:04. > :17:10.with a libretto, you are dealing I think it is great that Cardiff
:17:10. > :17:15.gives a platform for song. I it -- I this it is great for the
:17:15. > :17:21.audiences to hear this quite neglected platform.
:17:22. > :17:29.Five singers compete in the final of the Song Prize, you can see that
:17:30. > :17:34.on BBC Four next Saturday at 7.30pm. Before that, the prelimb Narey
:17:34. > :17:44.rounds start on Tuesday at 1.00pm. Now, here is Elin Manahan Thomas on
:17:44. > :17:49.
:17:49. > :17:54.The word tenor comes from the Italian te nera to hold.
:17:54. > :18:00.They still, "Hold" The best tunes. They often play the hero or the
:18:00. > :18:10.love interest. Arguably, the most famous aria in the world is for a
:18:10. > :18:17.
:18:17. > :18:23.There are different types of tenor. The lyric tenor sings the more
:18:23. > :18:31.romantic music, the Spintow tenor takes on the slightly heavier roles.
:18:31. > :18:41.For bigger roles, mainly in Wagner, there is a helden tenor. There is
:18:41. > :18:43.
:18:43. > :18:47.also the distinctive sound of the English tenor.
:18:47. > :18:52.Andrew Kennedy, winner of the Song Prize in 2005. Despite their
:18:52. > :18:59.popularity with the audience, only one tenor has won the title in
:18:59. > :19:09.Cardiff. He was victorious of both the Song Prize and the main
:19:09. > :19:17.
:19:17. > :19:22.This year there is just one tenor taking part.
:19:22. > :19:27.Welsh tenor John Pierce is sure to have the Cardiff audience, firmly
:19:27. > :19:30.behind him. The warmth of the reception given
:19:30. > :19:32.to singers here at Cardiff Singer of the World 2011 really is one of
:19:32. > :19:37.the things that makes this competition so special. They are
:19:37. > :19:42.loved and cherished from the very moment they walk on to the St
:19:42. > :19:49.David's Hall stage. This year there will be loud cheers for the singers
:19:49. > :19:53.representing Ireland, England, and of course, Wales.
:19:53. > :19:57.I've always played the piano. I started playing the piano when I
:19:57. > :20:07.was 12. I did a lot of choral singing from the age of 14 as well,
:20:07. > :20:07.
:20:07. > :20:12.but I started to take up singing seriously at the age of 17.
:20:12. > :20:21.I realised I really wanted to become an opera singer when I was
:20:21. > :20:27.six. My father was playing an opera's greatest hits in the car. I
:20:27. > :20:31.realised that was all that I wanted to do from the age of six. I was
:20:31. > :20:38.actually a pianist first. I had never had a singing lesson before
:20:38. > :20:42.going off to college in Belfast. I wanted to work with children. So I
:20:42. > :20:49.studied psychology and music. Things went from there. I started
:20:49. > :20:54.studying, then I fell in love with it. Couldn't live with -- without
:20:54. > :20:58.I had to give it a go. My parents would play all of these great
:20:58. > :21:03.singers. Hearing them as a child they became a part of me, part of
:21:03. > :21:08.my blood. Now, 20 years on, when I am performing at Cardiff Singer of
:21:08. > :21:12.the World 2011, I feel like I'm carrying a piece of all of these
:21:12. > :21:17.amazing singers with me, because I have grown up with them.
:21:17. > :21:21.I think there is such a wealth of talent in Ireland. We are a very,
:21:21. > :21:27.very musical country. I certainly hope to represent that great
:21:28. > :21:32.musical talent if I can. I feel very proud to be
:21:32. > :21:35.representing Wales in this year's competition. I have always dreamed
:21:35. > :21:44.of being on that stage. I just can't believe it's actually
:21:44. > :21:48.happened this year, so! Since the competition started back in 1983
:21:48. > :21:51.singers have been accompanied by two Orchestras, the Orchestra of
:21:51. > :21:58.the Welsh National Opera and the BBC national Orchestra of Wales.
:21:58. > :22:01.Conducted this year by Lawrence Foster and Jac van Steen. For the
:22:01. > :22:07.orchestral players, they find it difficult not to become attached to
:22:07. > :22:13.their own singers. The Orchestras are always happy
:22:13. > :22:21.when one of their singers from one of rounds gets through to the final.
:22:21. > :22:24.They become propirate oral. We have our favourites and a sweeepstake.
:22:24. > :22:29.It is like a beauty pageant, we go by the countries.
:22:29. > :22:34.We pick a different singer, have a small bet on it, and whoever wins
:22:34. > :22:38.they get the money. We join in the competitive spirit of it.
:22:38. > :22:43.Many of the Orchestras have played in the Cardiff Singer of the World
:22:43. > :22:49.2011 since it began in 1983. Since the beginning it has proved itself
:22:49. > :22:56.adepartment at picking the winner. The minute that she walked on the
:22:56. > :23:01.stage, you felt this was a true diva. She came on with a big smile,
:23:01. > :23:06.a shocking pink frock and owned the stage before he is had song a note.
:23:06. > :23:15.I think that she all sang three notes. We looked at each other and
:23:15. > :23:18.said, "That's the one "What sticks out in my memory are the
:23:18. > :23:28.competitors from the Far East. Two of the Chinese competitors have
:23:28. > :23:37.
:23:37. > :23:47.The first one to win was Guang Yang and then this amazing base baritone
:23:47. > :23:49.
:23:49. > :23:53.who won in his early 20s. The soprano from the United States,
:23:53. > :23:57.Nicole Cabelle, her performance was technically excellent. Very, very
:23:57. > :24:02.musical, the fact that she want on to win the competition outright was
:24:02. > :24:05.a great source of satisfaction to the members of the Orchestra,
:24:05. > :24:10.having accompanied here in the first round as she has gone on to
:24:10. > :24:14.do great things It is great that we all come together and are united in
:24:14. > :24:19.the competition. It is good to celebrate the fact that we have two
:24:19. > :24:24.great Orchestras in Cardiff. As well as the Orchestra members
:24:24. > :24:28.spotting their favourites, there is the chance for you to vote if your
:24:28. > :24:33.favourite sing ner the prelimb Narey rounds. This year, renamed
:24:33. > :24:40.the Dame Joan Sutherland Prize, in honour of the competition's late
:24:40. > :24:45.patron. I will give you details on how to vote on Friday night's
:24:45. > :24:53.programme, and they are on the website at bbc.co.uk/cardiffsinger.
:24:53. > :24:57.You can follow us via Facebook and Twitter. Now, it is time for the
:24:57. > :25:03.final of Elin Manahan Thomas's whistle stop tour of the singers.
:25:03. > :25:07.The base baritone has a long and distinguished career in this
:25:07. > :25:11.competition. The lowest male voices are bundled
:25:11. > :25:15.together in one category. That of base baritone, but there is a
:25:15. > :25:21.difference between them. The term baritone comes from the Greek
:25:21. > :25:30.meaning deep or heavy-sounding, but it is still the highest voice than
:25:31. > :25:35.the lower earth-shaingingly voice of the lower deeper base.
:25:35. > :25:40.Many singers class themselves as a base baritone, meaning that they
:25:40. > :25:45.sing the roles that sitcom fortably in the middle of the vocal range.
:25:45. > :25:48.That role could be kas Nova, the economic character or the villain.
:25:48. > :25:56.It was two different performances that led to perhaps the greatest
:25:56. > :26:01.Cardiff Singer of the World 2011 final of all time.
:26:01. > :26:11.-- that led to perhaps the greatest Cardiff Singer of the World of all
:26:11. > :26:17.
:26:17. > :26:21.time. Two of the world's great baritones,
:26:21. > :26:29.DmitriVodorskvy, and Bryn Terfel, but will there be such a baritone
:26:29. > :26:35.this year? Three baritones compete, one from China, and a bass from
:26:35. > :26:39.Armenia. Apart from the 20 competitors, this BBC Cardiff
:26:39. > :26:48.Singer of the World 2011 also welcomes another knew, if rather
:26:48. > :26:54.familiar face, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. I met up to -- with her to ask her
:26:54. > :26:58.how she felt about the competition. It is sort of a little overwhelming
:26:58. > :27:03.for me, I adored Dame Joan Sutherland. I feel as though I was
:27:03. > :27:10.so lucky to be asked, privileged, to take over from her. I hope that
:27:10. > :27:16.I will do as good a job as she did. What is it about Cardiff Singer of
:27:16. > :27:19.the world that made you want to sit on the jury and be a patron? I this
:27:19. > :27:24.it is a wonderful, wonderful competition. First of all I was
:27:24. > :27:30.asked to sit on the jury. I was thrilled to be doing that. Then
:27:30. > :27:32.think asked me to be the patron, I thought are they going too far? I
:27:32. > :27:36.was overwhelmed. I thought it was wonderful.
:27:36. > :27:40.How important is it as a competition? It is very, very
:27:40. > :27:43.important to the singer. I wished I had had it when I was coming
:27:43. > :27:47.through it would have been fantastic, but it is such an
:27:47. > :27:51.opening. If they get there, they eare already well into a major
:27:52. > :27:55.career, I believe. It is the start of something, something great.
:27:55. > :27:58.Let me ask you about your relationship with competitions,
:27:58. > :28:02.they have been a very important part of your life? From a very
:28:02. > :28:04.early age I did competitions. While they were difficult to do, I look
:28:04. > :28:10.back, they were a huge part of my development
:28:10. > :28:14.What is it going to take to win BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2011?
:28:14. > :28:19.Every amount of guts, intelligence, calm, the voice must be even,
:28:19. > :28:23.musical. We have to see a performance. We need to see what
:28:23. > :28:28.they are capable of, right there and then and that they will move on
:28:28. > :28:33.to the next stage of their life. It is not much to ask, is it?
:28:33. > :28:37.Listen, in the week ahead, I think that we can safely promise you
:28:37. > :28:44.drama, eemotion, excitement, passion, and perhaps a little
:28:44. > :28:51.controversy as well. Of course, the week that is filled -- filled with