Round 4 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

Last night the -- last night belonged to it and English soprano.

Who will join her in Sunday's final and sing for victory on the same

stage? Welcome to the fourth round of Cardiff Singer Of The World 2070.

-- 2017. Welcome back. I suspect there was a

slightly tough division in the jury last night. Discussion continued

long into the night about the talent we have. Tonight we have music by

Strauss among others, and we will ask you to vote in the audience

prize, so lots to fit in in the next 90 minutes. As ever, I am at the

back of the stalls, just by the side of the stage, where Angel is. Good

evening, Petroc. I will be talking to our five singers after they

perform, and the stakes are high, because not only will we discover

who goes through to the grand finals, we will also find out who

the jury has selected as the wild card from the singers we have heard

across the week. Let's remind ourselves of the people who make

these very important decisions. The artistic director

of Welsh National Opera and chairman of our

jury, David Pountney. The singing is important,

and the technical excellence, but ultimately, the most

important thing is that they are communicative human beings

delivering a personality, delivering a message from one

human being to another. Internationally renowned

conductor Anu Tali. Distinguished Austrian

baritone Wolfgang Holzmair. When you're on stage, you have

to feel you are than others. -- to feel you are

better than others. Always respect your

colleagues, but you are alone on stage, so show

what is your best. Legendary American opera

diva Grace Bumbry. And one of the world's most

in demand sopranos, Grammy What impresses me

most are impeccable technique and innate musicality,

which nobody can teach you. Lots for our jury to think about.

Mary King is here once again, and as we have two soprano singing, we

thought we would invite a third as our special guest. It is great to

welcome an artist who is in claim -- acclaimed as a singer and is a

former Royal Philharmonic Society singer of the year, Julie Rogers. We

have the last two of our home singers tonight, and it seems to me

that singing talent in these islands is in a pretty good place at the

moment. I think so, the standard is getting better and better. Tonight

we have Catriona and Dominick, and last night we had Louise, who was

outstanding. We should be proud of the young singers we are producing

at the moment. Mary, you were watching rehearsals, as ever, this

afternoon - what sort of night lies ahead? It's going to be exciting.

It's going to be loud. It's going to be good! We will come back as the

evening progresses. Thank you both very much indeed. It is the final

round, let's meet our competitors. They've waited all week for their

chance to shine. Dominic Barbieri,

a bass from England. Mezzo Katrina Morrison

from Scotland. Representing Uzbekistan,

soprano Barnokhon Tonight, Anush Hovhannisyan will

sing an aria from an opera by Franz Liszt that was undiscovered for over

100 years. I can't believe I will get to sing this for the first time

for the audience in Cardiff. I would like to describe the music in this

piece as Schubert on steroids. I am just embracing the fact that I am in

the top 20 of the best talents of my generation, and I get this stage and

this exciting exposure to share my love, my joy with the people

watching. Anush Hovhannisyan is going to sing

from an unfinished opera by Franz Liszt. It is receiving its world

premiere this evening. APPLAUSE

Anush Hovhannisyan starts her performance with that world premiere

of the aria by Franz Liszt. The character is taken prisoner by

the king of Syria. -- Assyria. Anush Hovhannisyan, singing from

Otto Nicolai's the Merry Wives of Windsor. Her father taught opera at

the Conservatoire in Yerevan, knowing how tough the profession is,

warned her against becoming an opera singer, but she didn't take any

notice. Well, let's ask Joan Rodgers as our resident sopranos this

evening for an immediate opinion. She has such energy. What a

performer. She is inventive. She takes risks, and she has wonderful

technique and uses it well. There is such wit in what she does. She's so

much a part that performance. And she was relishing the words of the

Merry Wives of Windsor. Absolutely. The German was very good and she

wanted us to understand the words. You have to have a desire to put

that text out there. What about the repertoire to its? It was a piece of

Liszt that none of us have heard before. Well, I think she really

believes in it. She is passionate about that piece. It is clear that

she feels she is on a missionary zeal level to get that music out. I

forget sometimes backfires, because the jury become more interested in

the piece than in the singing. But I think she played it right. Let's go

backstage and join Angel Blue, who is with Anush. Anush, you sang

first. How was it? I can't believe I have just done that! The audience

was amazing. What a wonderful, responding audience. What a pleasure

to sing for them. It didn't feel like a competition, for which I am

immensely grateful. I had nervous before the opening, because I was

opening the programme. A bit more because I was doing a world debut,

believe it or not. I can't believe it happened just now. And also a bit

more nervous because my programme was so long. It was basically vocal

acrobatics. And I didn't have time to just take a breath. But it went

well. I am happy with the way I connected with the audience, and

that was the most important thing for me, to show my joy in making

this music. You showed your joy beautifully. Best of luck to you.

Now, if you have been following the competition all week, you will no

doubt be close to deciding on your favourite competitor. And who cares

whether or not the jury agrees with you? It's now your chance to be

judged in the Dame Joan Sutherland audience prize, named after the

great and much missed former patron of this competition. You can vote

online or on the phone. Here are the numbers to call for the competitors

we heard in the first round. And we will give you the numbers to

call for singers in subsequent rounds throughout the programme. If

you have missed any of the competitors or you want to refresh

your memory, you can catch all our programmes on the BBC iPlayer. And

there is one aria from each singer on the Cardiff Singer website. To

get involved with the lively debates on our Facebook page or on Twitter

using the hashtag # Cardiff Singer. Next, the first of two home nation

competitors. Representing England, it is Dominic Barbieri.

After graduation, Dominic Barberi worked for Opera North before

He is the second of three students to

sing in Round 4 tonight who studied at the Royal

We all went back to Glasgow about two weeks ago.

We had some coaching, some lessons with our teachers,

and we did a concert together and each sang some

This is the first major competition

And when they e-mail you and say, you're being

watched by Dame Kiri, I'm like, this is amazing.

At that point, it felt amazing, something to put on

the CV, got through to whichever round, and then

So, it was like, this is getting a bit real, OK.

The e-mail to come through was a dream come true, unbelievable.

Dominic starts. He plays the role of the God of this sleep, rather

irritated at being woken by Juno. # Leave me.

# Leave me alone. # Sunlight, receive me.

# Receive me, silent night. # Receive me.

# Receive me, silent night. # Leave me alone.

# Receive me, receive me silent night.

# Silent night. Faust from Mephistopheles next,

singing a mocking serenade to persuade Margarete to open the door

to Faust, knowing that in fact, she already has.

Dominic Barberi, English bass, singing in Gounod's Faust. He is

going to conclude singing. One of the heads of the State Inquisition

in 17th century Venice has been betrayed by his wife Laura, and

declares vengeance. APPLAUSE

Dominic Barberi. He is of English and Maltese heritage, grew up in

Hartlepool, now based in Berlin. Let's start with Mary. In rehearsals

this afternoon, I had the sense that he was marking a lot, not singing

out, but there was also a sense that he was marking his personality. Did

more that come through? Not entirely. It is a big ask to put

this material across when the orchestra is with you and it is hard

for a bass to be heard through that texture, but I think it is a loving

gift you are giving to the audience, so you have to keep giving, no

matter what your voice is doing on a particular day. You have too enjoyed

the naughtiness of his character. And this is a serenade. There is no

way I felt he was seducing Margarete here. There is such mischief in that

as well, so there has to be that smoothness, but at the same time,

very naughty. It is quite insinuating, and I didn't think he

really got that across at all. It is a glorious voice, though. Beautiful.

Let's go backstage and hear from Dominic, who is with Angel.

Did you ever dream you would be here? Not at all. It is incredible.

I am still pinching myself. How do you feel? A bit more relaxed. Great

fun. Bravo to you, and congratulations.

Some more phone numbers for you. If your choice in the Dame Joan

Sutherland tries as some, these are the numbers. -- the Dame Joan

Sutherland prize has sung. More phone numbers to come. Now, our

next contender from Scotland, mezzo super Catriona Morison.

Catriona's early music tuition involve studying viola alongside

singing. She moved to Germany, where she has spent most of her

professional career performing as a soloist in for Patel, Weimar and

Frankfurt. -- warp Atal... I have spent years learning about the

business over there, gaining experience in different stages, and

it was really fun as well. I have watched Cardiff Singer Of The World

for I don't know how many years. I remember being a student and

watching everything with friends on TV, and discussing everything

afterwards. My hope is to perform with a truthfulness, so that an

audience can connect to any character I am performing, and get

my name and my voice known a bit more. Who knows what is going to

happen? Maybe there is a beauty in that somewhere. What a lovely

thought with which to approach this competition. Catriona will be

performing a piece from Handel's Hercules.

# Alas, no arrest the guilty find # No arrest the guilty find

# # From the pursuing Furies of their

# # Sing, sing, sing

# A dreadful presence taints the skies

#... # No rest the guilty find

# Alas, alas, no rest the guilty find

# From the pursuing furious # No rest the guilty find

# No rest they find # From the pursuing Furies of the

mind # Alas! Alas!

# No rest the guilty find # From the pursuing Furies of the

mind # #.

APPLAUSE Catriona is the third and final of

the Royal conservator Art of Scotland graduates. --

Conservatoire. Catriona is going to finish the

composer's aria by Strauss. The composer declares his fervent belief

in the great art of music. Catriona Morison from Scotland, the

third competitor tonight in this last grand of BBC Cardiff Singer of

the world 2017, singing from Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss, the

composer's aria. She is an ensemble member of Wuppertal opera in

Germany. She regularly sings in smaller German opera houses,

learning her craft. Catriona is also a keen Scottish country dance. Just

try and keep me away from a good kelly, she says. Let's talk to Joan

Rodgers first. What a wonderfully natural and unaffected performer she

is. Absolutely. So much heart. It's a beautiful voice. My favourite was

the Handel. She colours her voice beautifully. I sometimes wish she

would point the consonants more. I think she needs another 50% more

than she realises. That thing about wanting your audience to understand

what you're saying. She understands what she's saying, but she has to

convince us too. Mary, she is working in a lot of small German

opera houses at the moment, singing a of roles, really perfecting her

skill as a singer. I got a sense of that on stage. I agree, and she is a

completely confident and committed communicator. She is acting every

minute, and we are getting that. Crucially grated such an atmosphere.

You couldn't hear anything happened in the whole -- she created such an

atmosphere. Let's go backstage enjoying Angel. Catriona, that was

awesome! How do you feel? Over the moon, exhilarated. I can't quite

believe it is done now. I was riveted by your performance. What

were you thinking? Tried to be in the moment with the character I was

singing. I don't know that any other thought was... But you are competing

against your buddies from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. How does

that feel? It is actually so nice. It is wonderful having them all

here. It is like just doing a recital at college, almost, because

of the familiarity. Yeah, they are both so supportive and I hope they

feel the same with me. Best of luck to you. Back to you, Petroc. That is

a great thought, Cardiff Singer being like a college recital.

Catriona has also made it through to the rounds of the final in this

year's Song Prize. Song Prize is a key part of the week's events,

testing the competitors' ability in an intimate repertoire with piano

accompaniment. Also in the Song Prize final, Iurii Samoilov from

Ukraine, who impressed with Rachmaninov Tchaikovsky.

Representing Mongolia,. And Catriona Morison from Scotland. Our five Song

Prize finalists. You can see them battling for the prize tomorrow

night, 7:30pm on BBC Four. Now on with our next competitor from

Australia, Kang Wang. Information technology

was Kang Wang's first choice of subject at Darwin University,

but now he is on the young artist programme

at the Metropolitan Opera. Music has been at the centre

of his life from an My father is a tenor,

and my mother is a soprano. I remember my mum used

to tell me, I used to watch your father

singing in the concerts when I was carrying

you in my belly, and it was

like even from the womb, My father always told me,

this is the biggest competition in So, I have known this

competition for a long time. And then to look at me

so that we can do I would be lying if I told

you I wasn't nervous, but the excitement kind

of balances it out. Kang Wang starts singing from

Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. Romeo sends Juliet his pledge of love.

Kang Wang, a member of the young singer programme at the Metropolitan

opera in New York. Also a performer at the world Northern College of

music in Manchester. Next, Kang sings Alfredo

from Verdi's La Traviata. He sings of how happy

he is to be spending his life with her and of how much

she loves him. Absolutely marvellous, full of

spirit and energy and great top notes.

You Are My Heart's Delight, dedicated to his wife. Kang Wang

grew up in China before the family moved to Darwin in the Northern

Territory 's. His father was his first teacher. He studied IT before

taking up singing. Mary and Joan are with me. Mary King, what a great

personality and what a great technique. Fantastic technique, so

secure. Once you have that feeling that you can really rely on the

ten's top notes, it's amazing how enjoyable it is. -- the tenor's top

note. I agree with Mary, it is a wonderful technique. And being a

tenor, it is very important to have great top notes, and he certainly

has a fabulous top, so thrilling to listen to. He exudes that enjoyment,

and so we feel that. We are here too enjoyed what he's doing, and he

allows us to enjoy it. We have seen tenors from various countries, and

now Kang Wang from Australia, and each of them very different. And

they can all sing a top C - when has that ever happened in Cardiff? Angel

is with Kang Wang backstage. How did you prepare for tonight? I

had to cancel a role I was going to do in Australia to be ready for

Cardiff. The rehearsals were in May, so I thought, if I sing this and

come to the competition, I might not be in very good shape, so I

cancelled that and I had a lot of coaching with all the coaches at the

arts programme, and yeah... Well, everyone loved you tonight. Bravo,

congratulations, and the best of luck. Thanks very much. Back to you,

Petroc. The Song Prize finalist tomorrow

night on BBC Four, and the grand final is on Sunday. You have a

chance to vote for your favourite competitor in the Dame Joan

Sutherland Audience Prize. Here are the numbers to phone if your

favourite sang in round three. The numbers for tonight's round a

bit later. Now, our last and youngest competitor. From

Uzbekistan, 25-year-old Barnokhon Ismatullaeva.

At the age of 18, Barnokhon studied piano at music school in Uzbekistan,

but when she came across an operatic recording, it set her in a new

I heard the voice of a wonderful soprano, Maria Kalas, and

After that, I took up singing classical

For the last year, she has been a soloist in the Stanislavsky

and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in Moscow.

I'm always directed by my heart when I choose

my repertoire, and I think the programme suits my voice.

I'm very happy to be here, and it's not so

much a pressure as a great responsibility.

Uzbek people are a very musical nation, and every time,

Well, Barnokhon has had a long wait ? she's

the last to sing tonight, but she's raring to go with an aria

Barnokhon is the first ever finalist from Uzbekistan and also

Elisabeth, happy at Tannhauser's return, greets the Hall of Song

in the Wartburg Castle: it has been desolate since Tannhauser's

departure, and now seems proud and noble at his return.

APPLAUSE .

Barnokhon Ismatullaeva, singing Elizabeth from Wagner's Tannhauser.

Chimene, daughter of the Count of Gormas, is in love with Rodrigue,

and Chimene weeps at the terrible result of the battle

Barnokhon Ismatullaeva, singing Elizabeth from Wagner's Tannhauser.

Barnokhon closes her programme with an aria from one

of Puccini's most famous operas, Turandot.

Princess Turandot is torturing the servant girl, Liu,

to force her to reveal her master's name.

Liu tells her that she finds her courage through love

and that she will die rather than reveal the secret.

I always try answering with a big heart, says 25-year-old Barnokhon

Ismatullaeva, representing Uzbekistan. She leaves the stage

with conductor Tomas Hanus, conducting the Welsh National Opera

orchestra, led by David Adams. Let's go straight to Joan Rodgers. What a

glorious instrument, and she is only 25. It's hard to believe. Quite

amazing, actually. Hits you right between the eyes. It is worth saying

something about the size of the voice, Mary. Watching at home on

television, a lot of the voices will sound at a similar level, but that

really hit us between the eyes. That is big. And beautiful. I am now

going to sound like her grandmother. I am not sure that 25-year-olds

should be doing this! The voice is so open and full and round and

beautiful, but there is only really one dynamic. She's doing lots of

things with phrasing, but there was no variety. She hasn't quite got

control of the other end, and you have to have both. If she gets

through to the final, she will sing the role of Princess Turandot. She's

now backstage with Angel. Fabulous! How do you feel? Oh, first, I am

very happy to be here and to sing in this great competition and to be in

this competition team. It is a big responsibility for me, because I'm

representing Uzbekistan. Feeling good! Thank you for making us feel

good. Congratulations and best of luck. Back to you, Petroc. And with

Barnokhon, we reach the end of our rounds in this year's competition.

We have had some fantastic singers this year. Another tough night for

our judges, perhaps the toughest. One of our judges joins me now, Anu

Tali, music director of the Sarasota Orchestra and co-founder of the

Nordic Symphony orchestra. Are you having a good time? I am having an

incredible time. I have had the utmost pleasure. Pleasure is not the

word. My heart is filled with joy to hear all this talent and an

incredible parade of different interpretations. You are being asked

to give your marks at the end of each evening and then we come up

with a winner, but for you personally, is this an opportunity

to spot potential talent you could work with? Absolutely. Although

there is going to be one winner, I hope it is not too ambitious to say

that you could fill every type of voice within these four days with an

incredible talent. David Pountney told us he thought it would be an

easy decision for the jury on day one. It might be harder tonight. For

a couple of days, it has been hard for me. I am very grateful to the

rest of the jury because although we are very different, I think

everybody has done an incredible job. It has been incredibly

collegial throughout. Thank you for doing jury service here in Cardiff.

We will send you off to join your fellow judges and look forward to a

result soon. The last set of Audience Prize numbers now. If your

favourite singer performed tonight, who is a reminder of who we heard

and how to vote for them. There we have it, all you need to

know about the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize. If you want a

reminder of all the talent you have seen this week, and forget the

iPlayer and clips from each of the singers from across the competition

on our website. Well, Angel has been with the competitors all week. Have

you enjoyed it? I am overwhelmed with joy! I am so excited for each

of my sing of friends and colleagues, and I just want to take

this time to share with everyone how friendly and sweet and kind they

have been backstage. It has been such a joy for me to be here and

experience this new, wonderful talent. These young singers are the

future of opera. And I am so thrilled to be able to see who the

judges have chosen as the wild card and who will be going on from Rab

four to the finals. Good luck to everyone. -- from round four. Not

long to wait now until the results, so let's put Mary and Joan on the

spot. Joan, I hope you have had a good evening. It's been fantastic.

What a great standard. So in return for us inviting you to come back to

Cardiff Singer of the World, tell us who has won this evening. Well, I am

glad I am not on the jury. It must have been so difficult. There are

something to enjoy in all of them, but I think Kang Wang might click

it. Barnokhon has a wow factor and such an amazing instrument. Mary?

Anush or Kang Wang. You have seen each of the rounds, so you are in

the position of giving us a tip for who the wild card might be, the

fifth extra singer that the jury select. It could be one of those you

have mentioned, but if not, who might it be? The singer from Turkey.

That was such an extraordinary instrument. And you were really

moved by that. I was moved. She has so much to offer and it is a voice

we do not have in the world. There is a shortage. The jury are about to

come on stage. We stand by for the result. So was going to happen is

that Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will announce tonight's winner. She is

the competition patron. Then the jury chairman David Pountney will

announce the name of the fifth wild card. The other jury members are

also on stage. Tonight's winner, Kang Wang, from Australia. Mary, you

are cheering with delight. Very good result. I am delighted. Kang Wang,

born in China, representing Australia in Cardiff Singer of the

World, lifting his round winner's Trophy high. He is guaranteed a

place now in Sunday's final. We were now find out from David Pountney who

will be joining him. I would like to ask the other three finalists to

join Kang Wang. Anthony Clark Evans from the United States. REM but are

from Mongolia and Louise Alder from England.

-- Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar from Mongolia. And the wild card? The

fifth finalists place goes, after much deliberation, to Catriona

Morison. So, two British contenders in the final of Cardiff Singer this

year. Catriona Morison, from Scotland, alongside Louise Alder,

Kang Wang, Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar. What a wonderful result! Fantastic.

She is such a classy performer and she will come into her own. She

might be the really wild wild card. Joan? She wasn't as polished as some

of the others, but there is so much there, so much hard, and the

audience were spellbound by her. Joan Rodgers, Mary King, thank you

both for being with us this evening. What a cracking final we have lined

up for Sunday evening. Before that, the Song Prize tomorrow night at

7:30pm. Do join us for that. But we leave you with this evening's round

winner, Australian tenor Kang Wang.