:00:00. > :00:09.Welcome to Cardiff and the world's greatest
:00:10. > :00:13.Over the next six nights we will introduce you to 20
:00:14. > :00:15.thrilling performers, exciting new talent drawn
:00:16. > :00:20.Our singers arrived here just a few days ago,
:00:21. > :00:22.all with one ambition to showcase their skills
:00:23. > :00:26.and artistry on this biggest of international stages.
:00:27. > :00:29.And at the end of this week, one of them will be named BBC
:00:30. > :01:14.First held in 1983, BBC Cardiff Singer has been the launch
:01:15. > :01:23.pad for some of the biggest names in opera.
:01:24. > :01:28.This time nearly 400 singers entered from 64 countries and following live
:01:29. > :01:30.auditions in cities around the world, 20
:01:31. > :01:41.Their challenge now is to impress a formidable international jury.
:01:42. > :01:47.This is sinking of the highest standard. Cardiff is probably the
:01:48. > :01:50.most important competition. I'm looking forward to being moved.
:01:51. > :01:53.For a competition with such a rich history of notable success stories,
:01:54. > :01:56.the world is waiting to find out who will be the next
:01:57. > :02:06.It seems like a matter of weeks since we were last
:02:07. > :02:10.here but two years have passed - where's the time gone?
:02:11. > :02:12.Once again lovers of opera and song along with agents, producers,
:02:13. > :02:15.critics and directors are gathered here in Cardiff to identify
:02:16. > :02:23.the classical singing stars of the future.
:02:24. > :02:25.We are on here BBC4 every night now through to Sunday's final,
:02:26. > :02:29.with some familiar faces to guide us through this great vocal tournament.
:02:30. > :02:32.Including American soprano Angel Blue, who comes to Cardiff
:02:33. > :02:34.straight from singing Mimi in La Boheme at the
:02:35. > :02:47.There's a real sense of excitement building backstage as we wait
:02:48. > :02:53.to hear our first five competitors this evening.
:02:54. > :02:56.I look forward to speaking to you after we have heard our first
:02:57. > :03:00.singer. Thanks Angel, the wait
:03:01. > :03:02.is almost over. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales
:03:03. > :03:05.on stage, to be joined tonight by singers from Italy,
:03:06. > :03:07.Russia, the USA, Just time for a quick
:03:08. > :03:10.word from my guests, British soprano Lucy Crowe,
:03:11. > :03:13.who later this month will star in Mozart's 'Mitridate'
:03:14. > :03:17.at the Royal Opera House, and the American Lawrence Brownlee,
:03:18. > :03:21.currently singing the title-role in Charlie Parker's 'Yardbird'
:03:22. > :03:23.at English National Opera, a "remarkable" performance
:03:24. > :03:25.according to the Guardian. Lucy, what are you going to be
:03:26. > :03:38.looking for this evening? Looking for star quality which is of
:03:39. > :03:40.course hard to define but essentially it is charisma, someone
:03:41. > :03:46.who can communicate the wonderful music they will be singing in a
:03:47. > :03:54.unique way, showing us their personality in a compassionate way.
:03:55. > :03:59.We also want them to show us, taking their heart out and laying it on the
:04:00. > :04:04.table, here is my sole! You get at most four pieces of music to win
:04:05. > :04:10.over the jury and make an impression is is the. Absolutely, the most
:04:11. > :04:14.important thing is we have to do is artist is find something that shows
:04:15. > :04:18.our strengths, what we do well and we present that with our hearts and
:04:19. > :04:20.hopefully people enjoy it. A lot more from both of you as the evening
:04:21. > :04:21.progresses. And you can share your thoughts
:04:22. > :04:24.with us on our Facebook page or on Twitter throughout the week -
:04:25. > :04:26.hashtag CardiffSinger ? but it's our impressive panel
:04:27. > :04:29.of judges that the singers They will choose a winner
:04:30. > :04:32.of each round, guaranteed a place in Sunday's final,
:04:33. > :04:35.and on Friday we'll find out who they've have chosen
:04:36. > :04:40.as their extra, wildcard selection. Let's introduce the
:04:41. > :04:43.Cardiff Singer Jury. Grammy award-winning
:04:44. > :04:57.Korean Soprano Sumi Jo. What impresses me most is embeddable
:04:58. > :04:59.technique and in aid musicality which nobody can teach you. Make
:05:00. > :05:03.people happy, that's your job. The renowned Austrian Baritone,
:05:04. > :05:11.Wolfgang Holzmair. What I really look for is do they
:05:12. > :05:12.tell me a story, that is more important for me than the voice
:05:13. > :05:24.quality or the show quality. The voice I'm looking for is
:05:25. > :05:26.expressive, catches my attention, something that is going to excite
:05:27. > :05:31.me. Internationally
:05:32. > :05:39.acclaimed Estonian conductor - There are some wonderful voices but
:05:40. > :05:45.it is the whole package that matters.
:05:46. > :05:47.And chairing the jury, Artistic Director
:05:48. > :05:57.Technical excellence is important but they have liver a message from
:05:58. > :06:02.one human being to another. The 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer
:06:03. > :06:04.of the World jury. Singing for them tonight and vying
:06:05. > :06:07.for a place in Sunday's final - Anthony Clark
:06:08. > :06:24.Evans ? a Baritone from Mongolian tenor,
:06:25. > :06:33.Batjargal Bayarsaikhan. Italian bass-baritone,
:06:34. > :06:52.Roberto Lorenzi Born in Luke Gunn with the hometown
:06:53. > :07:00.of Puccini, Roberto make his debut in Labyrinth in Milan when he was
:07:01. > :07:06.just 22. Nowadays he is an established ensemble member at the
:07:07. > :07:09.Zurich Opera house. To be here is unbelievable, you look around and
:07:10. > :07:17.you see, and hear in the middle of a lot of professional singers. And you
:07:18. > :07:27.say, yeah, OK, I can enjoy it and have fun and make the public have
:07:28. > :07:33.fun as well I hope. In my life I always searched for a way to grow
:07:34. > :07:39.and become better and better like an artist, like a man as well, and I
:07:40. > :07:44.think this kind of experience are the most important to grow.
:07:45. > :07:46.So to launch BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017,
:07:47. > :07:51.The BBC National Orchestra of Wales accompany tonight's singers,
:07:52. > :07:55.under the direction of its principal conductor, Thomas Sondergard.
:07:56. > :07:58.A real competition favourite to begin -
:07:59. > :08:12.the 'Catalogue Aria' from Mozart's Don Giovanni.
:08:13. > :13:46.APPLAUSE Roberto Lorenzi launching the
:13:47. > :18:22.competition this year, thinking from Mozart. Bellini next.
:18:23. > :18:35.APPLAUSE 27-year-old Italian bass baritone,
:18:36. > :18:51.Roberto Lorenzi, apparently based at the opera house in Zurich.
:18:52. > :18:58.One down, 19 to go. Lucie and Lawrence are here. How was that for
:18:59. > :19:02.you, as a start to a competition? It's quite a tough challenge to go
:19:03. > :19:06.on first in an event like this? It's very scary to be the first one on.
:19:07. > :19:10.He did a great job. I think it was wise to start with Mozart. I think
:19:11. > :19:14.it's not a challenging piece for singer or for the audience. That's
:19:15. > :19:20.really important. However I really wanted a bit more cheekiness and
:19:21. > :19:23.flirtiness. He's talking about the bedding of thousands of women. He
:19:24. > :19:27.just needed to give us a bit more cheekiness of that. It's
:19:28. > :19:32.interesting, he's clearly very patriotic as an Italian, but he only
:19:33. > :19:36.sang in Italian. You take your strengths and if that's the
:19:37. > :19:40.repertoire he's going to sing most of his career, if he's guided in
:19:41. > :19:44.that direction, it's a safe thing. He can build doing those things that
:19:45. > :19:48.he's going to be doing. What I found interesting is the fact he's an
:19:49. > :19:51.Italian singer, I think he lacked some of the double consonants
:19:52. > :19:55.occasionally. The wonderful thing I think we have as artists is to be
:19:56. > :19:59.able to use those things to really enthuse what we do. So he has
:20:00. > :20:02.everything in front of him to take advantage of that. We'll leave it
:20:03. > :20:07.there for now. Thank you both very much indeed. Let's go back stage and
:20:08. > :20:11.hear Roberto's opinion as to his performance. Angel will be talking
:20:12. > :20:18.to each singer as they come off stage.
:20:19. > :20:23.Roberto, complimente. Thank you so much. You started out the
:20:24. > :20:28.competition this year, a very strong performance. So beautiful. Thank you
:20:29. > :20:39.so much. It was like the hardest piece that I did, I think, maybe.
:20:40. > :20:44.You know, if you think to Italy, and I think to Italy while I'm singing,
:20:45. > :20:48.for this maybe. Full of feeling, maybe. Yes, definitely full of
:20:49. > :20:52.feeling, great emotion. You've made Italy very proud today. Thank you.
:20:53. > :20:56.Thank you very much. If you miss any of our singers this week, you can
:20:57. > :21:00.catch up with our programmes on BBCi player. There's an aria from each
:21:01. > :21:07.singer on our website. But now, let's move on with our competition.
:21:08. > :21:24.Our next singer is Russian mezzo-soprano, Nadezhda Karyazina.
:21:25. > :21:33.Originally from Moscow, 30-year-old Nadezhda Karyazina has performed
:21:34. > :21:39.with the likes of Palace doe Domingo and Jose Careras. She was at the
:21:40. > :21:45.Bolshoi theatre and now sings at the Hamburg state op ra. I'm following
:21:46. > :21:50.this competition last ten years. It's like Olympic Games. Very
:21:51. > :21:59.exciting, every two years about this. I was waiting when I will be
:22:00. > :22:13.ready for this competition. Last year, I thought maybe it's time to
:22:14. > :22:26.try myself. I was so happy when I have an e-mail that I got through
:22:27. > :22:31.and I can come to Cardiff and sing. It's amazing feeling. I'm vibrating
:22:32. > :22:39.with the music already. I'm sure that it's once in a life experience.
:22:40. > :22:56.Nadezhda Karyazina begins her programme singing from La Favorita.
:22:57. > :22:59.Leonara is to marry her beloved Fernando, but she knows he is going
:23:00. > :23:00.to have to tell him the truth about her past, that she was the king's
:23:01. > :29:25.mistress. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:29:26. > :29:35.Nadezhda Karyazina singing music by Donizetti from La Favorita. Nadezhda
:29:36. > :29:40.will finish with an operatic favourite, Rossini with the barber
:29:41. > :34:56.of Seville. APPLAUSE
:34:57. > :34:59.Nadezhda Karyazina, trained in Moscow but spent two years in London
:35:00. > :35:08.as part of the Royal Opera house young artists programme. It was
:35:09. > :35:16.thrilling to be sitting alongside her heroes there she said. We can
:35:17. > :35:20.straightway get a response from Lucy and Lawrence. La Favorita is an
:35:21. > :35:26.opera that is rarely performed but that aria is a fantastic way of
:35:27. > :35:32.showing off the smoky middle of her voice. Absolutely, it was stunning,
:35:33. > :35:36.a great opener for her also as I said, she bared her soul for us. We
:35:37. > :35:44.got a sense of the energy and pain and you could feel it. Absolutely.
:35:45. > :35:52.She is a beautiful wild horse that needs taming a bit! Develop that
:35:53. > :35:58.thought! What we look for is a refinement. And along the way we
:35:59. > :36:01.learn from colleagues, you get a chance to share the stage with them,
:36:02. > :36:06.they are doing wonderful things and things that are natural and things
:36:07. > :36:12.that seem innate, something that comes out of you. And I think these
:36:13. > :36:17.younger singers are learning along the way and hopefully they will get
:36:18. > :36:21.a grasp of what it is to inhabit these characters. There is something
:36:22. > :36:26.almost geographically specific to me about her voice, the Russians do
:36:27. > :36:31.that special sound very well. It gets you, doesn't it. It is a
:36:32. > :36:37.gorgeous voice. We can go straight stage because Nadezhda is with
:36:38. > :36:42.Angel. That was a wonderful performance, how did you feel you
:36:43. > :36:49.did? I am never happy with myself but I think it went quite well. The
:36:50. > :36:56.public liked you a lot. The public is amazing, they were listening, so
:36:57. > :37:02.open listening with heart. They were so welcoming and supporting it is an
:37:03. > :37:04.amazing feeling. Bravo to you, you sang beautifully. Back to you,
:37:05. > :37:05.Petroc. Thank you. Onto to singer number three in this
:37:06. > :37:08.first round of Cardiff Singer of the World 2017,
:37:09. > :37:34.an American baritone, 32-year-old Clark has sung rolled
:37:35. > :37:37.all over America to stopping his career five years ago but it is a
:37:38. > :37:44.career that had a slightly rocky start. I went to college and it did
:37:45. > :37:48.not work out, did not graduate and I got a job selling cars and did that
:37:49. > :37:55.for a while but kind of got an itch in my belly and I had to see if I
:37:56. > :37:58.was going to be able to make it singing opera. And the way to do
:37:59. > :38:03.that was to try some competitions so I did the Metropolitan Opera
:38:04. > :38:07.competition in New York City and was one of the winners out of 1500 or so
:38:08. > :38:09.people and that is how I got my first break in the business and it
:38:10. > :38:19.went from there. Clarke says he came across Cardiff
:38:20. > :38:24.Singer while researching great singers of the past online. I went
:38:25. > :38:31.through the annals of history and saw who was there and there was an
:38:32. > :38:35.American baritone who was the winner of the second competition I believed
:38:36. > :38:38.and that gave me some inspiration. I did some more research and I was
:38:39. > :38:45.like, we have at the American winners. It would be great to add my
:38:46. > :38:51.name to that list but just to be here it is a wonderful experience.
:38:52. > :39:00.Clark, as he likes to be known had described this role as one that felt
:39:01. > :39:03.like $1 million right off the bat which is why he has chosen to sing
:39:04. > :43:51.from it here in Cardiff. Anthony Clark Evans singing from
:43:52. > :44:01.Wagner. He was a graduate of the Chicago Opera Young singer bowled
:44:02. > :49:17.programme and is going to finish singing from the Calvo's Pagliacci.
:49:18. > :49:29.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Well that's the loudest cheering
:49:30. > :49:42.we've heard so far this evening for Anthony Clark Evans from the USA.
:49:43. > :49:51.Thomas Sondergard conducting the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Well,
:49:52. > :49:55.you know, this trip to Cardiff is the first time that Clark has ever
:49:56. > :49:59.left the United States of America. Lawrence, I think he made the right
:50:00. > :50:04.decision to book that ticket. I think so too. What an exciting
:50:05. > :50:09.performance. You just understand that he enjoyed every moment that he
:50:10. > :50:14.was on stage and I think he really raised the level tonight. So much
:50:15. > :50:19.colour, so much character, so much variation in his sound and
:50:20. > :50:24.everything. For me, so much ease. Here was someone who was completely
:50:25. > :50:29.at home with himself and his skill. He seemed to be out there just
:50:30. > :50:31.enjoying himself. Absolutely, the most amazing stage presence,
:50:32. > :50:35.charisma, which is what we were hoping for. He was the first artist
:50:36. > :50:40.to use a broad spectrum of colour. The dynamics. And to go straight
:50:41. > :50:44.from doing something with the emotional power of the Wagner we
:50:45. > :50:49.heard, into a piece of such brilliant comedy, which he made
:50:50. > :50:53.funny. So many things. You saw so much the care of the funny, the
:50:54. > :50:57.humour, of course, the pain, so much. It was a wonderful
:50:58. > :51:00.performance. There's an amazing buzz and excitement in the hall. Everyone
:51:01. > :51:04.is like, my goodness, what have we just seen. What a heart warming
:51:05. > :51:09.story. He decided he couldn't afford singing. He went off and sold cars.
:51:10. > :51:12.He came back five years ago and walked onto that stage and wins our
:51:13. > :51:15.hearts. I think he's meant to do this. Thank you both. Let's hear
:51:16. > :51:20.what Clark thought of his performance. I hope he's pleased.
:51:21. > :51:24.Well, that was awesome. How do you feel like you were received tonight?
:51:25. > :51:28.Well, I think they liked the prologue. That's a thing, I guess.
:51:29. > :51:33.That's a nice thing. This has to feel like a triumph for you being
:51:34. > :51:37.this is your first time outside the United States singing. I don't know
:51:38. > :51:42.about triumph, maybe this coming weekend. If that happens. So if I'm
:51:43. > :51:47.so lucky to get there, that would be the real triumph. But I feel really
:51:48. > :51:50.good about that performance. That's about all I can really say. You
:51:51. > :51:53.should feel really good about. It you did a wonderful job. Thank you
:51:54. > :51:59.for representing the United States very well. Thank you. Petroc, back
:52:00. > :52:03.to you. More Wagner promised if he makes it to Sunday's final. We will
:52:04. > :52:07.find out who is the winner of this round at the end of this evening's
:52:08. > :52:10.programme. Nicole Cabell and Jamie Barton both American winners of this
:52:11. > :52:15.competition in the past. We've another American singer for you to
:52:16. > :52:20.hear this year in round three. Our next singer in tonight's round one
:52:21. > :52:32.is a Norwegian mezzo-soprano, Lilly Jorstad.
:52:33. > :52:37.31-year-old mezzo-soprano Lilly was born into a musical family in
:52:38. > :52:43.Russia, before moving to Norway in her teens. After training at La
:52:44. > :52:46.Scala's opera academy in Milan, she enjoys a busy performing schedule
:52:47. > :52:50.around Europe. I'm here, I'm in Cardiff. I can't believe. It's most
:52:51. > :53:09.famous competition in the world. When I watch on the TV, this
:53:10. > :53:18.competition, I think wow. It was like another planet, another world,
:53:19. > :53:23.absolutely. I would like the people and audience remember me, just it,
:53:24. > :53:32.not more. Because if they have something inside after my perform,
:53:33. > :53:38.so it's absolutely amazing. Lilly Jorstad is going to open her
:53:39. > :53:44.programme with an aria from Gluck's Orpheus and Euridice. Orpheus
:53:45. > :53:46.determined to rescue Euridice from Hades and calls on love to
:53:47. > :01:27.strengthen his soul. APPLAUSE
:01:28. > :01:34.An opera about an opera to finish her selection, from Richard Strauss.
:01:35. > :01:39.The composite declares his passionate belief, the great art of
:01:40. > :03:54.music immediately before the opera begins. -- composer.
:03:55. > :04:07.APPLAUSE Lilly Jorstad performing here in the
:04:08. > :04:14.first round of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017. Russian born Naveed
:04:15. > :04:17.King the music in the blood, her grandmother directed a quiet and her
:04:18. > :04:25.mother was a pianist and opera singer. Let's find out straightaway
:04:26. > :04:30.what Lucy and Lawrence made of that. And starting with the Gluck, a
:04:31. > :04:37.pretty brave choice to begin a programme with all those bars of
:04:38. > :04:41.very brave choice and if you are going to do that you have got to
:04:42. > :04:51.nail it. One thing she did nail was those bars unaccompanied and she was
:04:52. > :04:54.bang in June. -- tune. So much of these competitions are repertoire
:04:55. > :04:59.Joseph and I think she came most to life in her last piece and with the
:05:00. > :05:02.in companies like this you should start with those so you can get your
:05:03. > :05:07.feet and need you and feel confident and go to the more exposed bit
:05:08. > :05:15.later. Backstage Lilly is with Angel. A great performance, what was
:05:16. > :05:22.your most exciting moment? When I come onto the stage and when I
:05:23. > :05:28.finished! Did you have a favourite aria this evening? All of them are
:05:29. > :05:37.my favourites. I love Strauss, and I tried to sing the most technical
:05:38. > :05:41.repertoire like Rossini and Gluck, Vivaldi, I am very careful with my
:05:42. > :05:48.repertoire. A wonderful job, congratulations. Thank you. It is
:05:49. > :05:53.hard to believe but we are at our final singer. Last but certainly not
:05:54. > :06:08.least is Mongolian tenor Batjargal Bayarsaikhan.
:06:09. > :06:14.27-year-old Batjargal is the first of two singers representing Mongolia
:06:15. > :06:19.this week. He is a printable soloist at the country's State academic
:06:20. > :06:21.Theatre of opera and ballet where he has sung leading roles by Puccini,
:06:22. > :07:37.Bizet and Verdi. Batjargal Bayarsaikhan opened his
:07:38. > :07:44.programme singing from Puccini Butt La boheme. --
:07:45. > :12:46.A real audience pleaser to start from Batjargal Bayarsaikhan and
:12:47. > :12:47.another show stopper next, Donizetti's Ah mes amis from the
:12:48. > :15:03.Daughter of the Regiment. APPLAUSE
:15:04. > :15:07.He said that he included the Donizetti knowing it was a risk but
:15:08. > :15:20.as he says, you have to face the risk to succeed. More Donizetti to
:15:21. > :18:15.finish. The Scottish Opera. Lucia di Lammermoor.
:18:16. > :18:25.APPLAUSE APPLAUSE
:18:26. > :18:28.There we have it, Batjargal Bayarsaikhan, the 27-year-old
:18:29. > :18:33.Mongolian tenor bringing to a close this first round of BBC Cardiff
:18:34. > :18:36.Singer of the World 2017. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, leader,
:18:37. > :18:51.Lesley Hatfield, conductor, Thomas Sondergard.
:18:52. > :18:58.I love this moment of Cardiff Singer of the World 2017, when one of my
:18:59. > :19:02.guests gets to comments on a singer of the same voice type. You were
:19:03. > :19:10.very straight backed during that. When there's a tenor I'm always more
:19:11. > :19:16.up to listen to them. Yes. A lot of this, we straddle some of the same
:19:17. > :19:19.repertoire, I've done the Donizetti. I have looked at the Lucia di
:19:20. > :19:26.Lammermoor aria. I know the pit falls in them. I look at them very
:19:27. > :19:33.respectfully. I know they can be problematic. Very gratifying if you
:19:34. > :19:36.can be successful. He seemed very comfortable, very assured, very
:19:37. > :19:40.confident. He was comfortable. We all love a top note. But give us
:19:41. > :19:44.nine or ten and we're going to really love it. He nailed all those
:19:45. > :19:51.top notes. We were discussing about the blue, when you hear a top note,
:19:52. > :19:54.it's like when I sing Michiela, I couldn't give it the bloom. I wasn't
:19:55. > :19:58.ready yet. I feel like that with him a bit more. When he reached the top,
:19:59. > :20:03.it's really impressive. But you want it to flower that little bit more.
:20:04. > :20:08.He's 27. We've got singers here who are 32. He's at the younger end of
:20:09. > :20:13.the experience. Yeah, it will come. That's our five singers. We'll come
:20:14. > :20:17.back to you for a winner, before we get the judges' winner. Stand by for
:20:18. > :20:20.that. Let's see what Batjargal thought of his performance. He's
:20:21. > :20:27.back stage with Angel. Wow, Batjargal, that was impressive.
:20:28. > :20:48.You don't seem nervous at all. Was he nervous at all?
:20:49. > :20:54.TRANSLATION: It was quite difficult I would say. Because it's morning
:20:55. > :21:01.time in Mongolia, I suffered quite a lot because my voice wasn't ready to
:21:02. > :21:06.sing. It was quite a difficult - one of the most difficult singing that I
:21:07. > :21:08.did so far. We didn't feel he was suffering. We were very happy with
:21:09. > :21:24.how he sang. It was beautiful. TRANSLATION: That's great. Bravo to
:21:25. > :21:29.you and good luck. Thank you very much. Really a very
:21:30. > :21:34.exciting evening back stage tonight and here in the auditorium at St
:21:35. > :21:41.David's Hall. Joining me now on his way to the jury room is the chair of
:21:42. > :21:44.our judging panel, the artistic director of the Welsh National
:21:45. > :21:49.Opera, David Poutney. A good first night? A good first night. For me, a
:21:50. > :21:53.very clear choice. I'm not going to tell you what that is. Go on. No
:21:54. > :21:57.chance. This is the first of a week of broadcasts from this competition,
:21:58. > :22:01.just point out what we're listening to and who you're looking for. This
:22:02. > :22:07.isn't Cardiff young Singer of the World. It's about people who are
:22:08. > :22:11.already out there. Yeah, these people are, many of them are active
:22:12. > :22:15.in the profession. I think it's also important to say that it's not
:22:16. > :22:23.Cardiff Voice of the World. It's Cardiff Singer of the World. To me
:22:24. > :22:27.that means that personality, expression, individuality, words are
:22:28. > :22:30.all just as important as the basic quality of the voice. You don't want
:22:31. > :22:34.someone who can stand out there and sing perfectly. That's not enough on
:22:35. > :22:37.its own, has to be something happening? Absolutely not enough,
:22:38. > :22:43.no. That doesn't make a singer that. Just makes a voice. You've got a
:22:44. > :22:46.wonderful jury this year, Sumi Jo, Grace Bumbry, Wolfgang Holzmair. Are
:22:47. > :22:51.you having a good time? A very good time. A lot of jokes flying to and
:22:52. > :22:54.fro. We'll let you join them and come up with the result soon. Thank
:22:55. > :22:57.you very much David Poutney. I hope it's not too difficult a decision
:22:58. > :23:01.for you this evening. Remember, you can have your say on our Facebook
:23:02. > :23:04.page and on Twitter using the hashtag Cardiffsinger. You can catch
:23:05. > :23:10.up with the week's competition on the BBCi player and on our website.
:23:11. > :23:14.Don't forget the Song Prize, 19 of our 20 singers taking part in that.
:23:15. > :23:20.Coverage of the heats every lunch time this week on BBC Radio three.
:23:21. > :23:23.Angel has been back stage all night. I guess the tension there must be
:23:24. > :23:28.mounting? It absolutely is. Everyone is very excited tonight to see who
:23:29. > :23:32.will win this evening's competition. One of the things that's really
:23:33. > :23:35.great is I've had the opportunity to see the singers back stage
:23:36. > :23:38.interacting and all of them have shown so much support for each
:23:39. > :23:42.other, which I think is great to have in a competition like this. I
:23:43. > :23:44.have to say, I myself am very excited to see who will win this
:23:45. > :23:52.evening's competition. Thank you. This is just the first of
:23:53. > :23:58.six nights of coverage from Cardiff Singer of the World here this week.
:23:59. > :24:06.Let us remind ourselves of our five round one singers.
:24:07. > :24:09.Starting us off tonight was the first of our two competitors from
:24:10. > :24:12.Italy, bass baritone, Roberto Lorenzi. Second on stage was
:24:13. > :24:17.Nadezhda Karyazina, mezzo-soprano from Russia. Bare Tain Anthony Clark
:24:18. > :24:23.Evans, the first of two singers this week from the USA. Fourth to sing
:24:24. > :24:29.was the second moatso soprano of the evening, Lilly Jorstad from Norway.
:24:30. > :24:33.And finally, tenor, Batjargal Bayarsaikhan, the first of two
:24:34. > :24:42.competitors this year from Monday goalament -- Mongolia. Lucy Crowe
:24:43. > :24:46.and Lawrence Brownlee have been with me all evening. Have you enjoyed
:24:47. > :24:52.yourself? Very much. Have you learned something? Immensely, I've
:24:53. > :24:55.enjoyed it. We're both performers, active performers. Any time we see
:24:56. > :24:58.people on stage we think about our own singing. You learn about
:24:59. > :25:01.yourself when you watch others. You're going to work with these
:25:02. > :25:04.guys. It was what David was saying about this being very much a
:25:05. > :25:08.competition for young people who are out there singing. These people are,
:25:09. > :25:11.if they're not already, going to be colleagues. Absolutely, they're not
:25:12. > :25:15.that much younger than us, right! One day they will. I hope they don't
:25:16. > :25:20.want some of our comments. Yeah, they all do really well. It will be
:25:21. > :25:26.interesting in the future to work with them. I'm going to put you on
:25:27. > :25:33.the spot. Was the one obvious winner for you? Or is it a difficult
:25:34. > :25:36.decision? I think there is an obvious winner, this evening.
:25:37. > :25:39.Someone came out and raised the level with everything from vocal
:25:40. > :25:43.colours, dynamics, stage presence, everything. Might he have been a
:25:44. > :25:47.compatriot of yours? I think... LAUGHTER
:25:48. > :25:52.Go USA! Anthony Clark Evans, was he your winner as well? I absolute
:25:53. > :25:58.agree. I was hoping to see star quality tonight. I absolutely saw it
:25:59. > :26:07.in him. He was in a world of his own. He's a baby Bryn Terfel. He
:26:08. > :26:12.said the first recording he bought was Bryn Terfel's recording of Songs
:26:13. > :26:15.of Travel. Thank you both very much. The jury are about to come on stage.
:26:16. > :26:21.Great to have you here this evening. Thank you. Thank you for coming to
:26:22. > :26:25.Cardiff. Here come the first of all the
:26:26. > :26:32.patron of Cardiff Singer of the World, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, then
:26:33. > :26:41.David Poutney, Estonian conductor, Anu Tali, Wolfgang Holzmair, the
:26:42. > :26:46.Austrian baritone. Sumi Jo, Korean soprano and Grace Bumbry, American
:26:47. > :26:58.operatic legend. David Poutney is going to speak first.
:26:59. > :27:01.HE SPEAKS WELSH Good evening ladies and gentleman. A
:27:02. > :27:06.noble and elegant voice has won this evening's competition. It gives me
:27:07. > :27:12.great pleasure to call upon Dame Kiri te Kanawa to disclose the owner
:27:13. > :27:25.of that voice. APPLAUSE
:27:26. > :27:35.This evening's winner is... Anthony Clark Evans.
:27:36. > :27:42.APPLAUSE His first trip outside the United
:27:43. > :27:49.States of America brought him to Cardiff and this first round of
:27:50. > :27:52.Cardiff Singer of the World 2017. Anthony Clark Evans, he started
:27:53. > :27:57.singing, couldn't afford it continue his lessons. He became a used car
:27:58. > :28:02.salesman and then five years ago, started singing once again. He is
:28:03. > :28:06.guaranteed a place in Sunday night's Cardiff Singer final. I'll be back
:28:07. > :28:11.tomorrow night on BBC 4 at 7. 7. 30pm, for highlights of round two,
:28:12. > :28:16.with singers from Mongolia, Italy, Belgium, Wales and South Korea. Join
:28:17. > :28:21.us if you can for another evening of world class operatic talent, as we
:28:22. > :28:24.move one step closer to the final of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World
:28:25. > :28:29.2017. For now, though, we bid you good night and leave you with the
:28:30. > :28:32.round one winner, Anthony Clark Evans.