Category: Wales;
Factual
& Arts TV; Radio
3
Date: 20.06.2005
Printable version
Winner: Nicole Cabell, United
States of America
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American singer Nicole Cabell has been
crowned the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World.
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The soprano claimed opera's most coveted title in a
fiercely contested final at Cardiff's St David's Hall on Sunday 19 June.
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The panel of international jurors, including music legends
Marilyn Horne and Dame Anne Evans,
selected Nicole - who had been tipped as the competition's front runner
by audience members from her sensational concert round victory on Tuesday
night of last week.
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Nicole's rivals were English tenor Andrew Kennedy
- who won the competition's Song Prize on Friday night - New
Zealand mezzo soprano Wendy Dawn Thompson; Chilean
tenor Luis Olivares Sandoval; and Italian soprano Daria
Masiero.
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The 27-year-old Californian received £10,000 and was
presented with her Welsh Royal Crystal trophy by the competition's patron,
Dame Joan Sutherland.
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Nicole's prize also includes engagements with the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
and Welsh National Opera.
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Korean contestant Hayoung Lee won the
Audience Prize, voted by the St David's Hall, broadcast and online audiences.
The 30-year-old was a firm favourite of visitors to the competition's
website, bbc.co.uk/cardiffsinger.
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On Friday night, 17 June, English tenor Andrew Kennedy
won the final of the competition's Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize (formerly
the competition's Lieder Prize).
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Nicole and Wendy Dawn Thompson were also amongst the
finalists for the Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize.
Completing that line-up were American baritone Quinn
Kelsey; and Georgian bass Mikhail Kolelishvili.
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The contestants were selected from 507 singers chosen
to audition out of over 700 applicants worldwide.
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The final was broadcast by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO, presented by Huw
Edwards and Aled Jones, and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3.
