Opera - One way to sing

Glancing through the TV Times this afternoon I discovered that BBC2 this evening had a  half-hours introduction to my all-time favourite music programme.

Cardiff Singer of the World has had me enthralled for a week every two years since it first began (I think in the early eighties).

It is the most fabulous opportunity for anyone who loves opera and singing and has an interest in the human voice in all its glory, to get a sneak preview of some of the worlds' greatest potential opera stars.

For many years the late Dame Joan Sutherland was the chief patron and supporter of this wonderful competition.  This year Dame Kiri te Kanawa has taken her place.  (This is where I say, I sang - albeit in the chorus - with Kiri on several occasions when she was a student at The London Opera Centre).

Every time this competition is held I manage to miss one at least of the evening programmes.  In the past it always seemed to coincide with our holiday and John would programme the video to record the whole lot.

Part of the enjoyment for me is to choose the winner, each evening in the daily heats, and then the final winner from the 5 finalists.

This I have only once failed to do so it is a matter of pride to listen to every note and nuance to try to pick the winner.

The standard is incredibly high and many of the non-winners go on to great things, while the winners have the best opportunity anyone could wish for  to appear in the world's top opera houses and concert halls.  Quite often they are signed up by an opera house for a year or more, just on this one appearance.

This year I shall once again miss Friday's and probably a part of Saturday' s final.