Pretty Yende’s sister reaches BBC Cardiff Singer of the World final
NewsViewers have been commenting that the standards of singing this year have been astonishingly high.
These five will compete in the final:
Adolfo Corrado (Italy, bass)
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Beth Taylor (Scotland, mezzo)
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Jessica Robinson (Wales, soprano)
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Nombulelo Yende (South Africa, soprano)
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Siphokazi Molteno (South Africa, mezzo)
Bearing in mind all the great singers who have progressed from this competition I would think the standard has always been high.
But some of them, like Yende’s sister, are so fat! Is obesity a requirement?
What has fat or thin got to do with music? It’s the voice that matters, and the musicality of the performance.
No, it’s also about theatrical credibility. Singers don’t have to be fat, although far too many are. Opera is a theatrical art form, or should be.
Beth Taylor rocked. Is it me or was Jessica Robinson not exactly in tune in her Grieg song? Apparently the audience broke into the Welsh National anthem after she was put into the final……..
Nothing wrong with your hearing…
Someone filmed it on their phone and put it on Twitter @cardiffsinger
Couldn’t care less for the South African singers. Boring. Scandalous that MacIntosh and Wallroth didn’t make it to the finals !
You obviously know better than the judges!
Perhaps I do…
He probably has no political agenda.
Well, that’s a pity for you, because one of them is going to win!
Let’s hope not.
But if they can sing their sox off what does it matter where they come from?
True. It’s just boring when they sing everything the same way.
Beth Taylor was for me the standout singer in both the song competition and the main event which makes it surprising that she didn’t make it either final and it took a wild card for her to get to the final.
Our critic Brian Bannatyne-Scot who has sung with her tipped Beth as a future star some years ago in the Edinburgh Music Review ,and having heard her sing in Edinburgh and Berlin I’m sure she will be.
Astonishingly high? What was heard via the airwaves was astonishingly dispiriting…
There will always be truly fine singers who leave the contest without a prize , but go on to exciting careers.
The song prize really was stunning and all the singers deserved a commendation I think . Sungho the South Korean tenor showed himself to be an outstanding song recitalist and merited his prize.
We all have our favourites, the ones whose singing speaks to us the most.
Top of my list is the South African Mezzo Soprano Siphokazi Molteno who not only masters her gorgeous voice , but is so naturally expressive , no gimmicks . She sang the great scene from Gounod’s Sapho in her round with a focus and such intensity. I kept thinking about how the wonderful and generous Belgian mezzo Rita Gorr would have reacted to hearing the aria sung in this manner by a young singer at the outset of their career. I am sure somewhere she was purring with pleasure.
Molteno has my audience prize vote, but I am also a new fan of the English Bass William Thomas and the Colombian soprano Julieth Lonzano Relong, beautiful voices and personalities.
Pretty Yende’s sister Nombulelo has a glorious voice, but all the finalists are impressive including the Italian Bass Adolfo Corrado.
Thanks Andrew for an informative summary and a fair personal view.
I agree Siphokazi Molteno is naturally expressive.
Why does she have to to be someone’s sister? Her achievements are hers alone
Yende is a big girl, with a big voice (really lovely high notes particularly) & a big personality. But in Casta Diva- Maria Callas she ain’t or, for that matter, is unlikely to get casted in La Boheme. But for the Last Night of the Proms or Bayreuth- she’d be perfect. Good luck to her & good luck to them all.
Our 2 finalists really make South Africa proud!
Because her sister is a world famous soprano.
Beth Taylor has a brilliant voice that is still maturing into becoming great Wagnerian and perfect for the heavy Verdian AA roles of Azucena and Amneris – Scotland’s answer to Semenchuk – plus a sense of Birgit Nilsson humour.
In round 4 could have been either the Italian Bass or the Scottish Mezzo. I’m glad both are in the final! I really think the South Korean tenor should be in it too! Every singer is very good, but the Scottish Mezzo is brilliant! My winner!
I am completely bemused by Adolfo’s win. When, by the way, did the Dame Joan prize become the Kiri Te Kanawa prize? How insulting to the Dame’s memory!
I’m Beth’s mother and obviously incredibly proud of her. The standard was incredible and I was blown away by the variety. It was a joy to listen to them all and I’m sure every one of them will be an asset to any production lucky enough to hire them. Congratulations to the winners!