No German or Italian voices coming through

The Bertelemann-backed Neue Stimmen Competition, which aims to discover the next generation of opera stars, succeeds mainly in demonstrating that the traditional wellsprings of opera voices have run dry.

Tomorrow’s televised finals will be fought out among the following:

Carpentier Hélène Soprano France 1995
El-Khashem Anna Soprano Russia 1996
Kamani Enkeleda Soprano Albania 1991
Križaj Domen Baritone Slovenia 1989
Kubheka Bongani Baritone South Africa 1991
Long Long Tenor China 1991
McCorkle Jamez Tenor USA 1989
Tanasii Natalia Soprano Moldova 1991
Yende Nombulelo Soprano South Africa 1991
Zámečníková Slávka Soprano Slovakia 1991

The jury is chaired by outgoing Vienna Opera boss Dominique Meyer. Past winners include Christiane Karg, Nathalie Stutzmann, Marina Rebeka, Michael Volle, René Pape, Franco Fagioli and Elsa Dreisig.