Cardiff Singer: Thursday
Post categories: 91Èȱ¬ Cardiff Singer of the World
| 12:46 UK time, Thursday, 16 June 2011
The audience in St David's Hall last night were treated to a particularly strong group of singers in Concert 3. The competitors were Susanne Braunsteffer from Germany, Helen Sherman from Australia, local hero John Pierce from Wales, Valentina Naforniţǎ from Moldova and Andrei Bondarenko from Ukraine.
See the full coverage on 91Èȱ¬ Four tonight at 7.30pm. If you want to find out who won Concert 3, visit the website.
Concert 4 takes place tonight and it is the last of the preliminary concerts. Taking part are singers from Uruguay, Ireland, USA, Italy and South Korea.
Sunday's finalists will be announced from the stage at the end of the concert, and highlights of concert 4 can be seen on 91Èȱ¬ Two Wales at 10pm.
Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize
Voting in the Audience Prize opens at around 2pm tomorrow. Viewers and listeners in the UK will be able to vote by phone for their favourite singer from the week, irrespective of whether or not they get into the final. Details of the voting period and full terms and conditions are available on the website. The phone numbers will also appear on the website at the point when voting opens.
Video clips
Watch video clips of all the singers who have performed so far.
Adam Walton
Bethan Elfyn
James McLaren
Laura Sinnerton
Comment number 1.
At 16th Jun 2011, Ellen wrote:The Korngold of Valentina tonight was WONDERFUL it had my husband in tears. Please can you put it on the website? We thought she should have won. All the singing was really special but we think the judges go for the safe established professionals and young potentially very special singers should be given a chance - or why put them in?
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Comment number 2.
At 16th Jun 2011, Gabriel wrote:Both my wife and I felt that Valentina should have won. Wonderful total package. Excellent singing throughout with lots of personality.
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Comment number 3.
At 16th Jun 2011, Sarah NE wrote:I think that in Valentina Nafornita we saw the next Anna Netrebko. The sheer beauty of the sound she made was matched only by the innocence of her face, and I would pay a lot to see her singing in a major role. I think she chose the wrong repertoire: where were the fireworks? If she had bitten the bullet and sang something like 'Ardon gl'incensi' from Lucia di Lammermoor or even 'sempre libre' from Traviata she would surely have won.
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Comment number 4.
At 16th Jun 2011, MusicLovingCanucks wrote:Agree that Valentina should have won tonight, though perhaps she could have chosen more contrasting pieces - absolutely GORGEOUS voice, fingers crossed that we'll see her in the final anyway!
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Comment number 5.
At 17th Jun 2011, Anton wrote:Andrei Bondarenko sang wonderfully but I consider the use of a piece of someone stammering to be offensive. It does not take into account the the agonies that people who stammer go through. Bitter irony -people who stammer don't do so when they sing! I have a relative with a stammer who sings in a choir, whom I encouraged to tune in last night. I am too ashamed to contact him today.
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Comment number 6.
At 17th Jun 2011, Hemarwai wrote:I was really surprised that Valentina was not chosen from last night's heat. She was the only one with real star quality, beautiful tone, wonderful stage presence and I can imagine she will be snapped up straight away by opera houses all over the world. I only hope that she will be in the final.
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