Cardiff Singer of the World Options

[HelenVJ]

Anyone watching this? Hope the Moldovian singer, who amazingly wasn't last night's overall winner, still makes it to the final. Up till yesterday, I'd been agreeing with the jury - and good to see our England representative win her round.

[Scooby Doo]

I loved the Russian mezzo from the first evening. Not so keen on the Moldovan and I think the English girl was outclassed by some of the other singers, so not entirely sure she will make it to the final. Very exciting!

[AnnC]

I liked the Moldovian, too, and also the baritone from the first night. Trouble is, having attended some heats in the last competition and then seeing them televised the following night, you do miss a lot of quality in the voices on the TV, this being lost through , recording, transmission and quality of TV speakers. Also the interpretation and atmosphere is lost through cameras continually zooming in on bassoonists with shoulder problems!
I think the Russian mezzo has it so far, though.

[Steamy]

I agree about TV speaker quality. I listen to it on Radio 3, mostly recorded on the digital recorder and played back through the hi fi - much better sound quality.

I rather liked the Chinese baritone, but have not listened to all the others yet.

Another guilty pleasure is Popstar to Operastar - a chance to see others make the same mistakes I have made and still keep making.

Hey ho.......

[HelenVJ]

Delighted with the choice of finalists - exactly who I would have chosen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) , except for the omission of Maire Flavin, who I preferred to Hye Jung Lee, the S Korean soprano. Song Prize this evening - looking forward.

[maggiemay]

Delighted with the choice of finalists - exactly who I would have chosen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) , except for the omission of Maire Flavin, who I preferred to Hye Jung Lee, the S Korean soprano.

so did I.

[jod]

I agree about TV speaker quality. I listen to it on Radio 3, mostly recorded on the digital recorder and played back through the hi fi - much better sound quality.

I rather liked the Chinese baritone, but have not listened to all the others yet.

Another guilty pleasure is Popstar to Operastar - a chance to see others make the same mistakes I have made and still keep making.

Hey ho.......

That's my guilty pleasure and there is a thread in the cafe about that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Only thing I'll say about that here is I'm impressed with what both Vanessa Mae and Simon Callow have to say about performance, but as that is something that is as relevant to their day jobs as it is to being a Classical Singer I'm not surprised.

[BerkshireMum]

So what did you all think to the final? I thought it was wonderful to hear so many lovely arias sung with so much depth of feeling. The beautiful winner has such a mobile face and the ability to put over emotion on her face whilst she's singing as well as in her voice. I thought she was stunning - and so was her dress. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) It's amazing how many good singers come from what used to be the Eastern bloc; just think what we missed during the Soviet era!

[Arundodonuts]

I agree about TV speaker quality. I listen to it on Radio 3, mostly recorded on the digital recorder and played back through the hi fi - much better sound quality.

You can patch the telly through the hi-fi. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I missed the final but did see the result. I saw the winner in her round and thought she was terrific, so I agree with the judges.

[Dulcet]

I agree about TV speaker quality. I listen to it on Radio 3, mostly recorded on the digital recorder and played back through the hi fi - much better sound quality.

You can patch the telly through the hi-fi. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I missed the final but did see the result. I saw the winner in her round and thought she was terrific, so I agree with the judges.

ARGHHHH don't tell me I missed the whole competition this year!!! Grrrrr.

[Scooby Doo]

I agree about TV speaker quality. I listen to it on Radio 3, mostly recorded on the digital recorder and played back through the hi fi - much better sound quality.

You can patch the telly through the hi-fi. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I missed the final but did see the result. I saw the winner in her round and thought she was terrific, so I agree with the judges.

ARGHHHH don't tell me I missed the whole competition this year!!! Grrrrr.

Don?t worry, you can still catch most of it on iPlayer

[HelenVJ]

What a wonderful competition this year - and really pleased with the result (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . When Valentina was awarded the Audience prize, I feared that was it for her chances of getting the main prize, much as I felt she deserved it. I was convinced the judges were going to go with Olesya, the Russian mezzo, or the Ukrainian baritone, who certainly both had their merits.

Well, they are all assured of operatic careers, at whatever level - I look forward to hearing many of the finalists on stage in the future.

I suppose we're lucky to get any TV coverage at all, but I couldn't help thinking it would have been great to have heard more of the earlier Song Prize rounds, and the masterclasses, instead of all the inane wittering from the 'experts' , and the back stage interviews, consisting of Josie asking the same question, with nothing much being revealed in the answers( rather like those pre match tennis interviews, just as the players are about to go on court).

Oh - there's some tennis on right now! Better go..