North Terrace

Main Prize - Grand Final BBC National Orchestra of Wales Michael Christie Ryan Bancroft

Main Prize - Concert 3 WNO Orchestra Michael Christie Beomjin Angelo Kim, tenor  (32, South Korea) Mozart : "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön" ( Die Zauberflöte ) Cilea : "È la solita storia... Anch'io vorrei" ( L'arlesiana ) Donizetti : "Povero Ernesto... Cercherò lontana terra" ( Don Pasquale ) Both of the South Korean tenors competing this year opened with Tamino's aria, and both provided stylish readings of it, but this Kim is a bit more restrained in style than his compatriot (also Kim).  The Cilea showed some nice dynamic control, but I will never approve of that extraneous top note thrown in at the end.  By the time he had started on the aria from Don Pasquale , the problem was clear, the whole programme was much of a muchness, lacking in diversity, and limited in expression.  Nice singing, but by the end of his twenty minutes, a little boring. Johanna Wallroth, soprano  (29, Sweden) Rameau : "Aux langueurs d'Apollon" ( Pl...

Main Prize - Concert 1 Welsh National Opera Orchestra Michael Christie Sungho Kim, tenor  (32, South Korea) Mozart : "Die Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön" ( Die Zauberflöte ) Puccini : "Che gelida manina" ( La bohème ) Donizetti : "Una furtiva lagrima" ( L"elisir d'amore ) Massenet : "Pourquoi me réveiller" ( Werther ) When there are enough tenors in the competition (and there are three this year, two of them from South Korea) there is always one who produces a tenorissimo  programme, all the staples of the repertory, and inviting the most invidious comparisons with legendary names like Pavarotti.  It has to be said that Kim acquitted himself well.  The voice is bright and fresh, the sentiment sincere, the diction in all three languages clear.  The Werther  extract began shakily, tenor and conductor not quite in accord with their tempi, but although he brought nothing new to this music, I'd certainly be more than happy if my local compa...