Part 1 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

greatest singing competition on the planet. The world's best young

soloists bat tolling prove they've got what it takes to become the next

international opera star. They'll bring a week of drama, passion and

stirring performances. But only one can become BBC Cardiff Singer of the

World 2013. 20 young opera singers from across

the globe hoping to impress the judges with the performance of their

lives. I'm looking forward to some amazing singers. Victory can propel

the winner to international fame. The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

really launched my career. preparation is over, the stage

Hall and the first night of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2013.

It's a landmark year, the 30th anniversary of this great

competition, that's launched brilliant careers on the

international stage. We're here in the foyer. In the main hall

tonight's concert is reaching its climax. Doing battle tonight are

singers from South Korea, England, China, the USA and Croatia. We have

highlights of all five and in about 25 minutes, we hope, we'll bring you

the winner. We'll be here every night this week with a taste of all

the performances straight from the stage. We'll be joined by special

guests to give their expert opinion. Tonight it's a pleasure to welcome

soprano Rosemary Joshua, a Cardiff girl who's appeared on some of the

biggest stages in opera, including coughents garden, La Scala my lan

and the Met New York. And opera singer, broadcaster and TV advertise

advertising most infamous error Wynne Evans. Rosemary, has Cardiff

singer played a part in your upbringing? Certainly has. As a

student I came to the first round of the competition. It obviously has

given us something to be very proud of and propelled Cardiff into the

international arena. It's not your first time here? No, I've been

coming for many years. Does it take to impress the judges? You have to

have that voice, special voice, but more surprisingly you have to pick

the right programme. Absolutely. There'll be lots more from our

guests later. Now what we're all really here for, the music. The

first singer to take the stage this I represent South Korea. I'm very

# Quella chioma quell'aria brillante

# Quel vermiglio donnesco color!

# Quel vermiglio donnes color!

# Non piu avrai quei penacchini

# Quel cappello

# Quella chioma quell'aria brillante

# Non piu andrai, farfallone amoroso

# Notte e giorno d'intorno girando

# Delle belle turbando il riposo

# Narcisetto, Adoncino d'amor

# Delle belle turbando il riposo

# Fra guerrieri, poffar Bacco!

# Gran mustacchi, stretto sacco

# Schioppo in spalla sciabla al fianco

# Collo dritto, muso franco

# Un gran casco, o un gran turbante

# Molto onor, poco contante

# Poco contante

# Ed in vece del fandango

# Una marcia per il fango

That

That was

That was his

Marriage of Figaro. It's one of those aria's that everybody knows. I

felt more character and less about the voice. So it's one of those

songs that everybody knows in the operatic world, it's like me singing

Memory from Cats, I suppose. Would you forgive him, because he's going

first? He was very composed, collected and confident. To start a

competition is always difficult. He came out with a certain energy of -

I have to pace myself. I was very impressed with that element.

don't always want composed for Figaro, do you? That's the problem.

It's a party piece. Maybe it should have been further in the programme.

From the Far East back to the UK. Next is a singer from England. She's

I'm representing England this year. I'm really happy to be here and I

hope that I represent my country hope that I represent my country

hope that I represent my country MUSIC: "Tatyana's Letter Scene"

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 122 seconds

length. Was that a good battle plan do you think? I think for her

personally, probably. She felt she could settle into something and show

all the colours and textures and dynamics of her voice. I think in

the context of the competition it's difficult to pull an aria like that

off without the context of the opera around it and it's repetitive. I

would have liked her to sing some Mozart or Strauss. It's difficult to

judge a singer in that one piece and real really feel her expressing all

of the different things that she can express with that phenomenal

instrument. You I wasn't sure on the skirt either. That was quite big! I

can't talk. I'm wearing a yellow dress. Indeed.I can, why? Because

it's my birthday. I have mentioned that? We're all up staged this

evening because I'm sat in the presence of greatness. So Lord,

dame... Just an MBE.Tim has won an MBE. Thank you very much. You sound

like a lottery. Today is Connie's 30th birthday. I am as old as

Cardiff singer. It's 30 years since this competition was launched. It's

lived up to its worldwide billing as the most coveted prize in op ra.

-- opera. The very first win winner went on to

become a global superstar. It's where everything started. We are

still counting. The competition really struck gold in 1989, when

Britain Tyrvfel took on the Russian. They were giants. It was a

remarkable ocean. -- occasion. I felt it was a moment of history.

Bryn didn't leave empty handed. He won the song prize. To have those

two baritones competing in '89 was sure to put Cardiff Singer on the

map. As a spring board for new talent, Cardiff's reputation is

unrivalled. Winning that competition was a very special moment for me. It

actually changed my life. Cardiff Singer of the World launched

my career. Over 30 years Cardiff has shown that there is no limit to the

range of vocal talents that wonderful singers come from each

corner of the globe. The latest win winner from 2011 is making a name

for herself in Vienna, one of the world's greatest opera houses.

year, I sung from Fidelio and from La Boheme. I had a very great

opportunity to sing at the Vienna ball. Cardiff is the prize. It's the

one that gives you that incredible push forward. It must be incredibly

inspiring for today's young singers to see what some past winners have

gone on to achieve. China has already given us two of those

winners. Our next singer tonight is Hello. I come from China. I'm very

Hello. I come from China. I'm very Hello. I come from China. I'm very

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 122 seconds

excited to be here in Cardiff. # Nel sonno almeno l'oblio trovar!

# La pace tolta e sempre a me # Perche degg'io tanto penar?

# Lei! # Sempre mi paria at cor!

# Fatale vision, mi lascia! # Mi fai tanto male!

# Lei! APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Now, tenor to tenor, what did you think, were you impressed? He has a

great voice with great potential. He made the mistake of putting the

wrong aria at front. Mozart at the front. He pushed hard. Then the

hardest task of singing nine top Cs and he failed on a few. He did well

to come back and sing. But you could hear he was tired by that point.

would a sing deer that? Why put yourself in that position of singing

nine top Cs when the pressure is really on? If it works you win the

competition. If you sing, he should have started with that. Then he

would have got nine top Cs because he would have been fresh and felt

strong. Maybe he's tired because he's about to be a dad. All that

excitement? That might be keeping him awake. If he's tired now!

heard highlights from three of tonight's singers. If you want to

see a longer version of tonight's concert, tune into BBC Four at 7.

30pm tomorrow night. Can you follow the competition on Radio 3, Radio

Wales, Radio Cymru and on our website, bbc.co.uk/Cardiffsinger.

I'm representing the United States of America. I just want to say thank

you to Wales and to Cardiff for welcoming me with open arms. Thank

welcoming me with open arms. Thank welcoming me with open arms. Thank

Now, tenor to you.

# Fernand L'epoux de Leonore! # J'aurai souffert tout

apaisee, mon Dieu! # Mon arret descend du ciel

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 122 seconds

# Venez tous, c'est une fete! SHE SINGS IN FRENCH

You were enjoying that. Do you think Jayme might follow in the other

American winner? It's highly likely. It was a magnificent performance.

She has a really international voice. Fantastic musicianship behind

the voice. Incredible detail in the programme. I think she's phenomenal.

For a mezzo to be knocking out the top C. It's really hard to sing that

high. She had real quality throughout the range, from the very

o bottom to the top. When she came on stage, even in the rehearsal this

afternoon, you knew she was confident. She meant business.

included Elgar, a very different vocal quality. How was that?

Fantastic. I would love to hear her sing Handel, for instance. She has a

transparent voice. She's very flexible with it. It's an enormous

instrument. She can do anything with it. She really pulled it out of the

bag tonight? She did. I saw her in make up before she went on, and she

was calm, relaxed. I'd have been in bits! Salutesly. The last singer on

stage tonight is one of the youngest in the competition at just 25 years

old. He's a bass baritone from crow old. He's a bass baritone from crow

washament washament

I come from Croatia, and yes, I'm excited to be here in Cardiff to

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 122 seconds

round one of this year's competition to a close. I'm delighted to say

that we're joined by David Poutney, the chief executive and artistic

director of Welsh National Opera. David, you've heard all five

performances there. What was the atmosphere like in the hall? Very

excited of course and each person that comes on has something

different to offer. You find yourself rooting for them and when

they go off the rails or something like that, it's pretty agonising.

What really connected with the audience? Well, there's no question

Jayme Bar-to-n is in a league of her own amongst those five wonderful

people. She has such assurance, such brilliance across the range as you

said just now. That's a major talent. Let's discuss Marco. How did

he rate? One of the jobs of a young singer, and it's a big test is to

know yourself and that means that you have to make the right choices.

And coming to this competition from where he comes from and singing a

Handel aria was just a piece of cultural misunderstanding. Wow.

a difficult one to get the balance right. You're always on a look out

for talent. How did tonight rate? Due find a star of the future?

lady who won this evening is definitely going to make a fabulous

career. Don't give too much away. How exciting! Who is it that you

think is going to be the winner tonight, do you agree with David?

Absolutely. Jayme Barton was in a league of her own. She outshone the

competition by a long way. Fabulous. That's who we think should win here.

But it's the judge's vote that really counts. You can tell from the

buzz around the foyer, that we do have a result. But because it's very

close to the nail tonight. Oh, I do... We have the winner! Here's the

result. Here's Nicholas Payne. winner of this first concert is

Jamie Barton. Jamie Barton.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE There you can see a very happy Jamie

there. She's accepting the applause as the winner of the first round of

this year's Cardiff Singer of the World. That was just a few minutes

ago and we're delighted now to welcome Jamie Barton from the USA

beaming here, the winner of round one of BBC Cardiff Singer of the

World 2013. Congratulations. How do you feel? Ecstatic. Overwhelmed. At

a loss of words. Did you find the audience was warm and welcoming

tonight? Incredibly so. It's been the same the whole time I've been

here. Wales, I love you. You're saying very good things now.

seem so composed earlier, in the make up room and back stage and when

you stepped onto the stage you flourished, did you enjoy the

performance tonight? Absolutely. I got to sing some of my favourite

music, in front of a crowd that was loving and then there's this.

let you into a secret, our panel here also picked you as the winner

thisthis evening. !Congratulations. Thank you very much. A big week for

you. It's a lot of pressure on Cardiff Singer of the World. Are you

enjoying the experience? Yeah, yeah. The staff who are here have done

amazing things to make us comfortable, to make us feel taken

care of. Yeah, I think the week's about to go at a rush from here on

out. We understand you're a bit of a Doctor Who and torch wood fan?

Really big fan. Have you been to the Doctor Who experience yet? Oh, yes.

I even went over to Mermaid quay and looked at the Torchwood locations.

Terrible. Keeping it real. Brilliant. Fantastic. You're a fan

and we're a fan of you. Congratulations tonight. That's it

for tonight. I can't believe round one is already over. Congratulations

to our winner once again. Many thanks to our special guests,

Rosemary Joshua, Wynne Evans and David Poutney. There's lots more

information on the competition on the website,

bbc.co.uk/Cardiffsinger. Remember, you can see a longer version of

tonight's concert on BBC Four with Petroc Trelawny at 7. 30pm tomorrow.

We're back here at 10pm tomorrow night with five more exciting young