BBC Cardiff Singer of the World – Song Prize – Lunchtime Concert

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World – Song Prize – Lunchtime Concert

Thursday, 17 June 2021, 1.00pm

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World is a life-changing experience for 16 young singers at the start of their professional careers. Over five hundred gifted singers applied from all over the world, and the final 16 have made it through a rigorous selection process. Now they get to perform in front of our distinguished jury. They will be accompanied by two world-class orchestras – the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Andrew Litton and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra conducted by Michael Christie.

Broadcast details

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World on BBC Radio 3:

Main Prize
Saturday 19 June 19:30 – 22:00 Main Prize Final LIVE

Song Prize
Tuesday 15 June – Lunchtime Concert 13:00-14:30
Wednesday 16 June - Lunchtime Concert 13:00-14:30
Thursday 17 June - Lunchtime Concert 13:00-14:30
Thursday 17 June -19: 30-22:00 Song Prize Final LIVE

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World on BBC Four:

Main Prize
Sunday 13 June 19:30 – 21:00 Round 1
Monday 14 June 22:00 – 23:30 Round 2
Tuesday 15 June 22:00 – 23:30 Round 3
Wednesday 16 June 22:00 – 23:30 Round 4
Saturday 19 June 19:30 – 22:00 Main Prize Final LIVE

Song Prize
Thursday 17 June -22:00 - TBC Song Prize Final

Every round on BBC Four, with programmes also available on BBC Two Wales, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC iPlayer.

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021 - staged without an audience in strict compliance with the latest health and safety government guidelines related to COVID-19 – takes place at St David’s Hall from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 June.

Now in its 20th edition, the biennial competition has launched the careers of some of the biggest opera stars, such as Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Bryn Terfel, Jamie Barton and 2019 winner baritone Andrei Kymach from Ukraine.

Audiences can follow all the drama of the competition – including all rounds of the main prize, the song prize final and the main prize final on BBC Four television, as well as broadcasts on BBC Two Wales, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, every note will be available one BBC iPlayer.

This year’s event features singers from 15 countries including Austria, China, Denmark, England, Georgia, Iceland, Mongolia, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, USA, Venezuela, Wales and, represented for the first time, Madagascar and Kosovo.

With an average age of 29, the competitors have made it through three selection stages from a record-breaking number of applications with virtual auditions for all selection rounds. The 16 singers will perform their programmes hoping to gain the title Cardiff Singer of the World, or to become winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer Song Prize. Perhaps one lucky singer will gain both accolades!

The main jury is chaired by General Director of Welsh National Opera Aidan Lang, and includes two celebrated stars of the opera world, Welsh bass-baritone Neal Davies and US soprano Roberta Alexander. Accompanying the singers in their main prize performances are WNO Orchestra conducted by Michael Christie and BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Andrew Litton.

The BBC Cardiff Singer Song Prize, in which the competing singers present Lieder and art songs accompanied by internationally-renowned pianists Llŷr Williams and Simon Lepper, are judged by the Chair, Wigmore Hall’s Artistic and Executive Director John Gilhooly, along with Neal Davies and Roberta Alexander. These more intimate performances take place at the Dora Stoutzker Hall of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, with the Song Prize Final happening at St David’s Hall.

Main Prize
The performances are broadcast across the BBC to audiences around the UK and beyond, and the five strongest singers are selected to compete in the exhilarating final in Cardiff. The singer names BBC Cardiff Singer of the World is presented with the Cardfif Trophy and £20,000.

Song Prize
The Song Prize puts our singers well and truly under the spotlight. Performing some of the most beautiful Lieder and arts songs in the repertoire, the singers are accompanied by internationally renowned pianists including Llŷr Williams and Simon Lepper. The winner received the BBC Cardiff Singers of the World Song Prize Trophy and £10,000.

The Audience Prize
The Audience Prize is voted for by our audiences and presented during the grand final. The winner receives The Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize, £2,500 and a crystal trophy.

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Published by Journal of Music on 8 June 2021

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