BBC Cardiff Singer of the World has announced the names of the 20 singers who will compete in the televised finals in June 2017.
• Update: The results of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World
The televised finals are split into four rounds, in which finalists will perform programmes of operatic and concert works, accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera.
This years' judges are opera director David Pountney (chairman), mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, soprano Sumi Jo, baritone Thomas Quasthoff and conductor Anu Tali.
The process of choosing the 20 finalists has been a long one. Last year, patron of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Kiri Te Kanawa and director of Opera Europa Nicholas Payne narrowed down the shortlist from almost 400 applicants to 44.
The shortlisted singers then gave live auditions in cities around the world in front of a separate panel. Angela Livingstone (head of opera at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama), Isabel Murphy (casting director at Welsh National Opera) and record producer Jeremy Caulton selected 19 international singers to compete in the final. The 20th singer will be Welsh representative Sioned Gwen Davies.
‘One of the best things about this competition is that it is very fair,’ Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has previously told BBC Music Magazine. ‘They go through a very long process, and the judges are from all across the industry: singers, directors, conductors and people from record labels. It’s very healthy.’
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World was established in 1983 by BBC Wales, and has since become one of the most popular classical music competitions in the world. Past victors include the very first winner Karita Mattila, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anja Harteros and the 2015 winner Nadine Koutcher (pictured).
The winner of the main prize will receive £15,000 and the Cardiff Trophy, while the Song Prize, awarded to the best singer of Lieder and art song, carries a £7,000 prize and trophy. To judge the song prize, soprano Ailish Tynan and director of Wigmore Hall John Gilhooly will join the main jury.
The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World finalists are:
Italy - Miriam Albano
Mezzo soprano
Age 26
England - Louise Alder
Soprano
Age 30
England - Dominic Barberi
Bass
Age 28
Mongolia - Batjargal Bayarsaikhan
Tenor
Age 27
US - John Chest
Baritone
Age 31
Wales - Sioned Gwen Davies
Mezzo soprano
Age 30
US - Anthony Clark Evans
Baritone
Age 32
Mongolia - Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar
Baritone
Age 29
Armenia - Anush Hovannisyan
Soprano
Age 30
Uzbekistan - Barnokhon Ismatullaeva
Soprano
Age 25
Norway - Lilly Jørstad
Mezzo soprano
Age 31
Turkey - Ezgi Karakaya
Mezzo soprano
Age 28
Russia - Nadezhda Karyazina
Mezzo soprano
Age 30
South Korea - Konstantin Lee
Tenor
Age 28
Italy - Roberto Lorenzi
Bass baritone
Age 27
Scotland - Catriona Morison
Mezzo soprano
Age 31
South Africa - Lukhanyo Moyake
Tenor
Age 30
Ukraine - Iurii Samoilov
Baritone
Age 28
Belgium - Ivan Thirion
Baritone
Age 27
Australia - Kang Wang
Tenor
Age 29
To find out more about BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, click here.