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The Arts Hour: The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021

03/07/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - The Arts Hour, The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021

Meet some of the rising opera stars taking part in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021

This week’s Arts Hour meets some of the rising stars taking part in one of the most prestigious international competitions in classical music, the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.

This week’s Arts Hour meets some of the talented rising stars taking part in one of the most prestigious international competitions in classical music, the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
 
Nikki Bedi introduces the stories of six young opera singers from five different continents. 

We hear from baritone Gihoon Kim from the Republic of Korea, who carried home the trophy and £20,000 main prize at this year's competition, and from South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, winner of this year’s Song Prize which is presented for the art of singing songs that are not from operas, such as folksongs and lieder.

We also hear from some of the other singers taking part from around the globe. From the US, baritone Reginald Smith Junior recalls how he was inspired to sing after seeing the African American baritone Donnie Ray Albert on stage.  

Soprano Elbenita Kajtazi from the Republic of Kosovo, represented for the first time this year, tells us about her journey from child refugee in Albania to opera star. 

Venezuelan soprano Maria Brea explains how despite the odds, she found a way to get to New York to continue her musical studies, and Georgian mezzo soprano Natalia Kutateladze on how the voice of Maria Callas moved her to try opera.

We’ll also hear from veteran American soprano Roberta Alexander, one of the judges on this year’s panel, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa the patron of the prize speaks to us from her home in Auckland, New Zealand.



(Photo: Gihoon Kim. Credit: BBC / Kirsten McTernan)

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