The biennial Cardiff Singer of the World competition has become a great springboard for those on the cusp of their professional careers.
Established in 1983, it is regarded as one of the most important operatic competitions in the world, reflected both in the stellar nature of the judging panel, which has included Sir Geraint Evans, Dame Joan Sutherland, Galina Vishnevskaya and Christoph Prégardien, and in some its iconic finalists.
Chief amongst these are Bryn Terfel and the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who went head-to-head in the now legendary ‘battle of the baritones’ in 1989, singing works that included Mozart’s Non Più Andrai, Verdi’s O Carlo, ascolta and ‘Eri tu che macchiavi’ and Tchaikovsky ‘Ja vas lyublyu.'
Last year’s competition, which was held without an audience due to Covid restrictions, was won by Gihoon Kim from South Korea, winning over the judges with performances of Rossini’s Largo al factotum from ‘Il Barbiere di Sivigilia’, Wagner’s O du mein holder Abendstern from Tannhauser and Giordano’s ‘Nemico della patria’ from ‘Andrea Chenier’.
