The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition celebrates its 30th birthday next year. St David's Hall in Cardiff will be full of tension and excitement as young singers from all over the world perform on its stage, knowing that their performance could change their lives by giving an enormous boost to their career. The big question is, who will represent Wales in the competition in 2013?
The question will be answered this week as, thanks to an innovative partnership, S4C and Radio Cymru will broadcast the Welsh Singers Competition. The winner of this competition will represent Wales in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World next year.
Bryn Terfel won the Lieder Prize at Cardiff Singer of the World back in 1989. Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky won the main prize that year. Will a Welsh singer win the main prize for the first time in 2013?
Four truly special singers have reached the final round, following auditions in Cardiff and London. They are Sioned Gwen Davies from Colwyn Bay (mezzo-soprano), Gary Griffiths from Pembrey (baritone), Rhian Lois from Pont-rhyd-y-groes in Ceredigion (soprano), and Fflur Wyn from Carmarthen (soprano). The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Grant Llewellyn, will accompany the finalists.
The members of the adjudication panel will be international singers Rebecca Evans, Della Jones and Donald Maxwell. They'll also be joined by John McMurray, Head of Casting at English National Opera, and Julian Smith, Music Adviser to Cardiff Singer of the World.
Gillian Green, Director of Live Music Now Cymru Wales says, "The talent from Wales is once more of the highest order and it will be fascinating to find out who, out of the four equally talented individuals, will be chosen to represent Wales at the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
"The Welsh Singers Competition at St David's Hall will not only be a fantastic concert but also a wonderful sneak preview of what people can expect to see next year. You never know, those attending, or watching on S4C, or listening to Radio Cymru could also possibly be some of the first to hear a Welsh winner of the next Singer of the World!"
Gareth Williams, Chief Executive of Rondo Media, said "I'm extremely pleased that Rondo will be producing the programmes from the Welsh Singers Competition this year. It's a special competition and the standard of the singers who've reached the final round this year is very high. Cardiff Singer of the World is very close to my heart as it was the late Mervyn Williams, my father, who created the competition 30 years ago.
"It's excellent news that S4C and BBC Cymru Wales will be jointly broadcasting the competition and we're extremely pleased to be working also with Live Music Now and St David's Hall - home of the competition."
