Podcasts about bbc cardiff singer

Nicole Cabell is an award-winning American soprano known for her rich voice and versatile artistry. Born in California with African American, Korean, and Caucasian heritage, she rose to international fame after winning the 2005 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. She has performed leading roles at top opera houses like the Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera. Her acclaimed recordings include the solo album Soprano and performances in La Bohème and Imelda de' Lambertazzi. Cabell also serves as an Associate Professor of Voice at the Eastman School of Music, where she mentors young singers.

La cantante colombiana comparte sus reflexiones sobre las vidas de los cantantes líricos. En 2023 obtuvo el premio del público en el BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, uno de los eventos más importantes de la música clásica.

Vor sieben Jahren hat die Mezzosopranistin Catriona Morison den Wettbewerb "BBC Cardiff Singer of the World" gewonnen. Aktuell ist sie bei den Bamberger Symphonikern zu Gast und präsentiert im Abschlusskonzert der Saison Mahlers "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen". Was sie an der Musik liebt, welche Wünsche und Träume sie hat und wie sie die Auszeichnung von vor sieben Jahren noch nachhaltig beeinflusst, erzählt sie im Gespräch mit Uta Sailer.

Jess Gillam and soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha share their favourite tracks.South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha was the winner of the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2021 and is a current BBC New Generation Artist. She's brought a track from iconic South African artist Miriam Makeba and Maria Callas singing a prayer from Verdi's Otello, and Jess has picked a dance of death from Saint-Saens and jazz from Charlie ‘Bird' Parker.PLAYLIST: MAHALIA JACKSON– If I Can Help Somebody CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS – Danse macabre, Op 40 [Luben Yordandoff (violin), Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim (cond)] GIUSEPPE VERDI – Ave Maria (Otello: Act 4) [Maria Callas (sop), Orchestre de la Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Nicola Rescigno (cond)] HENRY PURCELL – Music for a While (Oedipus, Z 583) [Martin Fröst (clarinet), Sebastien Dube (double bass)] MIRIAM MAKEBA – The Click Song JIMMY MCHUGH/DOROTHY FIELDS– Don't Blame Me (Live) [Charlie Parker Quintet] DOMENICO CIMAROSA – Sonata No 42 in D minor, arr Ólafsson [Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)] VINCENZO BELLINI – Mira, O Norma (Norma) [Joan Sutherland (sop), Montserrat Caballé (sop), Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Richard Bonynge]Produced by Rachel Gill

La reacción del público ha sido para ella muy gratificante pues es la recompensa a una vida de trabajo dedicada al arte.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, OperaVision takes you from the Studio at Oper Frankfurt to backstage at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. Nombulelo Yende shares her hopes and fears about performing in front of experts and an international audience, while Clara Hyoyoung Kim is honest about the challenges of clashing schedules and saying ‘no' when it is necessary. Meanwhile the visiting expert Matthias Rexroth sets the bar extremely high for young singers.   View the OperaVision website here Watch now on Opera Vision BBC Cardiff Singer of the World https://operavision.eu/de/performance/bbc-cardiff-singer-world-2023-final Frankfurt Opera Studio Soirée https://operavision.eu/performance/frankfurt-opera-studio-soiree Frankfurt Opera Studio Documentary https://operavision.eu/performance/frankfurt-opera-studio-soiree Opera for Peace Masterclasses with Ailyn Perez & Brian Jagde: https://operavision.eu/de/performance/ailyn-perez-brian-jagde-masterclass   Cendrillon (Viardot) from the Young Artists at the Palau de Les Arts Centre de Perfeccionament https://operavision.eu/performance/cendrillon-0   Music Extracts Introduction & closing: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart): Overture. Bellini: Ah! Non credea mirarti! from La Sonnambula, Clara Hyoyoung Kim (Soprano) Felice Venanzoni (Piano) Moniuszko: Ha! Dzieciątko nam umiera...O mój maleńki from Halka, Nombulelo Yende (Soprano) live from the 11th Moniuszko Vocal Competition at Polish National Opera

Today we say 'kia ora' to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, opera legend and Patron of the BBC Cardiff Singer of The World - which is in it's 40th anniversary year. With a story of ‘hidden roots', singer Joe Jaquest Oteng reveals the huge family secrets he unearthed after the death of his father, which took his search to Ghana. And we'll hear the Inheritance Tracks of the wonderful actor Tanya Moodie. Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens Producer: Ben Mitchell

Recognized by Opera News as “one of the finest singers of his generation,” American bass-baritone Ryan McKinny has earned his reputation as an artist with something to say. His relentless curiosity informs riveting character portrayals and beautifully crafted performances, reminding audiences of their shared humanity with characters on stage and screen. This season, McKinny brings his agile stage presence and comedic skill to performances of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro on both U.S. coasts. He first appears as the titular Figaro in a Richard Eyre production at New York City's Metropolitan Opera, with an all-star cast that includes Golda Schultz, Lucy Crowe, Isabel Leonard, and Adam Plachetka. He then makes his Seattle Opera debut reprising the role in a Peter Kazaras production, under the baton of Alevtina Ioffe. In between productions – and coasts – McKinny joins collaborative pianist Kathleen Kelly for a recital at the Lied Center of Kansas, featuring works by Schumann, Debussy, Mahler, and Kurt Weill. In summer 2022, he joins the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood as the title character in Don Giovanni, with Andris Nelsons on the podium. He concludes the season with the Philadelphia Orchestra at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, appearing as soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Offstage, McKinny continues to adapt the beauty of his art form to the film screen, collaborating on a documentary with Jamie Barton and Stephanie Blythe. Through his work with Helio Arts, he commissions artists to write, direct, and film original stories, leveraging his personal power to help elevate new voices and visions in the classical performing arts world. During the pandemic, he has partnered with artists like J'Nai Bridges, Russell Thomas, John Holiday, and Julia Bullock to create stunning and innovative performances for streaming audiences at Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, On Site Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival. McKinny's recent debut as Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's Dead Man Walking at Lyric Opera of Chicago was hailed by the Chicago Tribune as an “an indelible performance...an acting tour de force buttressed by a warmly inviting voice.” He has also appeared as the title character in Don Giovanni (Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera), Escamillo in Carmen (Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Hamburg, Houston Grand Opera), and Mozart's Figaro (Washington National Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Houston Grand Opera). McKinny made a critically acclaimed Bayreuth Festival debut as Amfortas in Parsifal, a role he has performed around the world, including appearances at Argentina's Teatro Cólon, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and Dutch National Opera. Other Wagnerian roles include Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde (Deutsche Oper Berlin, Houston Grand Opera, Canadian Opera Company), Biterolf in Tannhäuser and Kothner in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, both at the Metropolitan Opera, Wotan in Opéra de Montréal's Das Rheingold, Donner/Gunther in Wagner's Ring cycle (Washington National Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera), and the titular Dutchman in Der fliegende Holländer (Staatsoper Hamburg, Milwaukee Symphony, Glimmerglass Festival, Hawaii Opera Theater). McKinny is a frequent guest artist at Los Angeles Opera, where he has sung Count Alamaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Stanley Kowalski in Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Renée Fleming as Blanche DuBois, and at Santa Fe Opera, where he has appeared as Jochanaan in Salome and Oppenheimer in Doctor Atomic. An alumnus of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Mr. McKinny has made a number of important role debuts on the HGO mainstage, including the iconic title roles of Don Giovanni and Rigoletto. McKinny is a long-time artistic collaborator of composer John Adams and director Peter Sellars, having appeared in Sellars productions of Adams' Girls of the Golden West (San Francisco Opera, Dutch National Opera) and Doctor Atomic (Santa Fe Opera), in addition to Adams' Nixon in China with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has also performed under Sellars' direction in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex (Sydney Festival), Tristan und Isolde (Canadian Opera Company), and Shostakovich's Orango with the London Philharmonia and Los Angeles Philharmonic, the latter comprising Esa-Pekka Salonen's final concerts as music director. Other recent orchestral engagements include Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and a double bill of Michael Tilson Thomas' Rilke Songs and Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn with San Francisco Symphony, Mahler's Symphony No. 8 and Bernstein's Mass with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with Cleveland Orchestra and National Symphony, Rossini's Stabat Mater at Grant Park Music Festival, Britten's War Requiem with Marin Alsop and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Oedipus Rex with Chicago Symphony. McKinny benefited from early educational opportunities at the Aspen Music Festival, where he sang his first performance of Winterreise accompanied on the piano by Richard Bado, and at the Wolf Trap Opera Company, where he sang Barone di Kelbar in Verdi's Un giorno di regno, Le Gouverneur in Rossini's Le comte Ory and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. McKinny made his Carnegie Hall debut in Handel's Messiah with the Musica Sacra Orchestra while still a student at the Juilliard School. The first recipient of Operalia's Birgit Nilsson Prize for singing Wagner, McKinny has also received the prestigious George London-Kirsten Flagstad Award, presented by the George London Foundation to a singer undertaking a significant Wagnerian career. McKinny represented the United States in the 2007 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, where he was a finalist in the Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize, and he was a Grand Finalist in the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, captured in the film The Audition.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 21, 2021 is: inveigle • in-VAY-gul • verb 1 : to win over by wiles : entice 2 : to acquire by ingenuity or flattery : wangle Examples: "Maybe she and Terfel, … whose trajectory into the upper ranks of opera began in 1989 after winning the Lieder Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, felt a certain kinship. Either way, after their first meeting she inveigled him into fundraising performances and concerts…." — Henry Bourne, The Daily Telegraph (London), 20 Feb. 2021 "Yet another feather in Channel 5's home-grown drama cap, this intriguing four-parter should satisfy mystery fans perhaps unfulfilled by ITV's Finding Alice. Halfpenny excels as the obsessed mother, inveigling her way into the lives of the boy and his father." — Gerard Gilbert, i (inews.co.uk), 1 Feb. 2021 Did you know? Inveigle, a word that dates from the 16th century, refers to the act of using clever talk, trickery, or flattery either to persuade somebody to do something or to obtain something, but etymologically the word is linked to eyesight—or the lack thereof. Inveigle came to English from the Anglo-French verb enveegler, meaning "to blind or hoodwink someone," from the adjective enveugle, meaning "blind." Enveugle derives from the Medieval Latin ab oculis, a phrase which literally translates to "lacking eyes."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 21, 2021 is: inveigle • in-VAY-gul • verb 1 : to win over by wiles : entice 2 : to acquire by ingenuity or flattery : wangle Examples: "Maybe she and Terfel, … whose trajectory into the upper ranks of opera began in 1989 after winning the Lieder Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, felt a certain kinship. Either way, after their first meeting she inveigled him into fundraising performances and concerts…." — Henry Bourne, The Daily Telegraph (London), 20 Feb. 2021 "Yet another feather in Channel 5's home-grown drama cap, this intriguing four-parter should satisfy mystery fans perhaps unfulfilled by ITV's Finding Alice. Halfpenny excels as the obsessed mother, inveigling her way into the lives of the boy and his father." — Gerard Gilbert, i (inews.co.uk), 1 Feb. 2021 Did you know? Inveigle, a word that dates from the 16th century, refers to the act of using clever talk, trickery, or flattery either to persuade somebody to do something or to obtain something, but etymologically the word is linked to eyesight—or the lack thereof. Inveigle came to English from the Anglo-French verb enveegler, meaning "to blind or hoodwink someone," from the adjective enveugle, meaning "blind." Enveugle derives from the Medieval Latin ab oculis, a phrase which literally translates to "lacking eyes."

Rosa Hunt meets some of the prodigiously talented men and women competing for the prestigious title of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021. For a significant number of the singers, religious faith is an integral part of their lives, as they engage in a challenging and highly competitive profession. Rosa speaks to baritone Reginald Smith Jr about his early years, growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, in what he calls the 'buckle of the Bible belt'. South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha is similarly indebted to her early introduction to church choirs and hymns. For Malagasy baritone Michael Arivoni the legacy of western hymnody has been an important influence, and he is deeply aware of the links between Wales and Madagascar through the work of Welsh missionaries two centuries ago. For some of the competitors, their journey to the St David's Hall stage has been as incident-filled, and as violent, any opera. Kosovan soprano Elbenita Kajtazi identifies as Muslim, and speaks of some of her terrifying childhood experiences, when caught up in the bitter war between ethnic Serbs and Albanians, she was threatened with a gun held to her throat. Venezuelan soprano Maria Brea speaks of her experiences growing up in a dangerous Caracas slum, and the paralysing fear of being caught in the crossfire between rival gangs. As a fifteen-year old, she became confirmed in the Anglican church after singing with the church choir.

[@ 4 min] Barbara Hannigan goes ‘Inside the Huddle’ to give Weston and Oliver the post-pandemic singer’s playbook, to introduce her young artist initiative called Momentum, and to argue why streaming is here to stay... [@ 48 min] In the ‘Two Minute Drill’, the starting lineup is announced for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Will Kosovo be this year’s front runner…? And the OBS is back with an all-new show on May 12 when the team spotlights Asian artists you should know… operaboxscore.com dallasopera.org/tdo_network_show/opera-box-score facebook.com/obschi1 @operaboxscore IG operaboxscore

durée : 00:13:53 - The Dark Night Has Vanished - Catriona Morison, Malcolm Martineau - Ce récital envoûtant marque les débuts chez Linn de la mezzo-soprano écossaise Catriona Morison, lauréate du concours BBC Cardiff Singer of the World en 2017 et co-lauréate du Song Prize.

In this special podcast episode, we celebrate LGBTQ+ awareness month (February 2021) and discuss LGBTQ+ awareness and representation in the arts. In this lively conversation, we are thrilled to be joined by three wonderful panellists: Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton who, in 2019, lit up the Last Night of the Proms as well as being named Personality of the Year by the BBC Music Magazine Awards. Jamie has also received the Richard Tucker Award, and won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition (both main and song prizes). Edwin Outwater is a conductor, curator, producer, and all-around polymath. Edwin is Music Director at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and has collaborated with the likes of celebrated drag artist Peaches Christ, and heavy metal bands, such as Metallica. Christina Scheppelmann is one of only two women heading up a major opera company in the United States. She is currently General Director of Seattle Opera. Christina has worked in Milan, San Francisco and Washington, and was the first General Director at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. This is the first episode in our 'Under the Spotlight' podcast mini-series where we shine a light on 'hard' topics in the arts, and focus on guests living these experiences and who are working to create change in the sector. This episode is hosted by HP's Henry Southern Useful links and resources Connect with Jamie: Website: http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbartonmezzo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbartonmezzo/ Turn the Spotlight: https://turnthespotlight.org/ Connect with Edwin: Website: http://www.edwinoutwater.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edwin-Outwater Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eoutwater/ Connect with Christina: Website: https://www.seattleopera.org/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scheppelmannch/ The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts. Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer and all good podcatcher sites. #theculturebar  A special thank you to Robert Cochrane as the composer of the theme tune music, and Merlyn Thomas our editor. Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason in conversation with award winning broadcaster Josie D’Arby. This 5x15 event features a live performance by the Kanneh-Mason family – ‘Britain’s most musical family.’ (The Times) This very special evening will celebrate the launch of Kadie Kanneh-Mason’s new book House of Music - a moving and inspirational account of determination, music and love. It is a story about race, immigration and education. It is the story of a mother and her family. And it is the story of her children, seven phenomenally talented musicians. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is a former lecturer at Birmingham University and the mother of seven children. Sheku Kanneh-Mason, her third eldest was the first black musician to win BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 and performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Three of his siblings are also former BBC Young Musician category finalists and the eldest, pianist Isata, has also presented for the Proms. Collectively, the Kanneh-Masons have performed at the 2018 BAFTA Ceremony and concert halls across the world, not to mention the hugely popular live performances from their family home in Nottingham during lockdown, as captured in the BBC’s recent Imagine documentary. Josie D'Arby was born and raised in South Wales and has worked in television since the age of 14.  As an RTS award winning broadcaster, Josie has presented for all the major UK networks on programmes related to music, art, entertainment and human interest, broadcasts ranging from Top of the Pops to BBC Radio Four documentaries. She is a regular presenter of BBC Arts programmes including BBC Young Musician ( with Clemency Burton Hill) , BBC Choir of the Year (with Gareth Malone ), BBC Cardiff Singer of the world (with Petroc Trelawny) and of course the BBC Proms. 5x15 brings together outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. This talk was recorded at an online 5x15 event in Sept 2020. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Imagine finding your voice...in an opera house! On Sing LOUDER, host Jake Heggie talks with great artists about the high wire act of life an opera singer. In this episode, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges shares about the basketball game that defined her commitment to singing, and the power she’s found in her voice to wake people up - both on and off the opera stage. You can find J’nai at www.jnaibridgesmezzo.com and @jnaibmezzo on Instagram. Los Angeles Opera “Lift Every Voice” Facebook Live recording: https://www.laopera.org/discover/laoathome/lift-every-voice/ Featured Music: Jake Heggie: “Some Times of Day” from The Best Time of the Day Camille Saint-Saëns: “Mon coeur s’ouvre á ta voix” from Samson and Delilah, recorded at WCRB's “On the Rise” event honoring their 10th anniversary as part of WGBH Alban Berg: “Die Nachtigall” from Sieben fruhe Lieder, from the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2015, led by Thomas Sondergard “Oh, Glory”, arranged by Shawn Okpebholo with Paul Sanchez at the piano Robert MacGimsey: “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” from the 2018 WQXR Christmas Concert at The Greene Space Jonathan Barlow: “Cinder (Instrumental)” Producer: Emily Shaw Mixing & Remote Recording Assistance: Seira McCarthy Additional Recording: George S. Rosenthal (The Complex Recording Studio) Executive Producer: Bob Ellis Photo by Dario Acosta Sing LOUDER is supported by a non-profit LLC promoting public education about the art of singing. Special thanks to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Imagine finding your voice...in an opera house! On Sing LOUDER, host Jake Heggie talks with great artists about the high wire act of life as an opera singer. Featured Music: “Die Nachtigall” from Alban Berg’s Sieben fruhe Lieder, from the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2015, led by Thomas Sondergard “Some Times of Day” from Jake Heggie’s The Best Time of the Day “María la O” by Ernesto Lecuona, with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, led by Jesús López Cobos Producer: Emily Shaw Remote Recording Assistance & Mixing: Seira McCarthy Additional Recording: George S. Rosenthal (The Complex Recording Studio) Executive Producer: Bob Ellis Sing LOUDER is supported by a non-profit LLC promoting public education about the art of singing. Special thanks to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Lauren Michelle is very good at singing. Seriously — over her career, she's stacked up awards that include First Place in the 2015 Lotte Lenya Competition and Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition, and claimed prize winner status as BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition prize winner, and The Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition. But, in classical music of all places, the myth of meritocracy looms ever-large. In this episode of IN CONVERSATION, writer/editor James Bennett links up with the accomplished Soprano to discuss racism in the opera house, the cost of speaking up, and how she tumbled headfirst into the dazzling world of opera and the human voice.   James Bennett, HostRosa Gollan, ProducerLukas Krohn-Grimberghe, Executive Producer

In this episode of the BBC Music Magazine podcast we introduce our August issue, which stars the great Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini. A stunning new recording of Weinberg symphonies is our Recording of the Month, and we also give you a taster of your free cover CD, featuring works by Ravel, Debussy and Lili Boulanger. It's been a busy month in the world of news, and we bring you details about BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and new initiatives from the CBSO and Tanglewood. Plus we bring along three of our favourite new recordings to share. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Katie Derham presents highlights from In Tune, featuring interviews with Pavarotti’s widow Nicoletta Mantovani, BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year Winner Andrei Kymach. Performances include acclaimed classical guitarist Xuefei Yang; a spirited take on Rossini by violinist Joo Yeon Sir & pianist Irena Andrievsky; and twins Adam & David Moss, known as The Brother Brothers, play American folk.

The 2019 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition has been won by the Ukrainian baritone Andrei Kymach. The week-long competition held every two years is one of the most significant competitions in the classical calendar and has helped make stars of many participants since its inception in 1983. We hear from this year's winner Andrei Kymach and from music critic Anna Picard. This week marks the 50th anniversary since the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York, a key moment in the birth of the gay rights movement. Each night this week Front Row will be reflecting on the best examples of queer fiction since then, one night for each decade. We begin with the 1970s and our guide to the decade is poet and critic Gregory Woods. As we head into the final weeks of this year's prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year competition, Front Row looks at the five shortlisted institutions vying for the top prize of £100,000. Today it’s the turn of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, whose director Dr Laura Van Broekhoven explains why she believes the Pitt Rivers would be a worthy winner. Plus novelist Celia Brayfield joins Stig to discuss the work of writer Judith Krantz whose glamorous romantic novels have sold over 85 million copies worldwide. Presenter : Stig Abell Producer : Dymphna Flynn

In the latest programme of the monthly series, Mishal Husain introduces dispatches from journalists and writers around the United Kingdom that reflect the range of contemporary life in the country. Alison Holt considers with a Somerset family why adult social care is the policy reform no UK government does anything about. In the week of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, Martin Smith asks how far the Welsh heritage in singing is endangered and whether it might yet be part of Wales' economic future. With the time-worn quips over an Essex town ringing in her ears, Jo Glanville discovers that established notions of Southend as a seaside resort with its best days behind it are out-of-date. Andrew Green looks at the idea of the bird celebrated in the most popular piece of classical music in Britain and the reality of its existence today on the Chilterns. And Dan Johnson contemplates the personal and social links between a stately pile near Barnsley and those who live in the communities close to it. Producer: Simon Coates

Möt den sydafrikanske barytonen Luthando Qave som blev den första svarta sydafrikanen att sjunga på The Met i New York, 2011, och dit kom han från Sverige.   Sverige har en särskild plats i Luthando Qaves hjärta. Det var här han gick Operahögskolan i Stockholm 2008-2011, och det var här han fick Anders Walls Giresta-stipendium på 100 000 kr och kunde studera ett år vid Metropolitanoperans program för unga artister. På The Met sjöng han bland annat Härolden i Othello och Fiorello i Barberaren i Sevilla. På senare år har han även sjungit greven i Figaros bröllop, Marcello i La Bohème, Leporello i Don Giovanni och Silvio i Pajazzo/Pagliacci på Göteborgsoperan. I Tebogo Monnakgotlas kortopera Jean-Joseph, Du är en livs levande dikt sjöng Luthando Qave poeten Jean Joseph Rabearivelo på Stockholmsoperan. - Jag har gjort en fantastisk resa, säger Luthando Qave som föddes i Mdantsane Township i Östra Kapprovinsen i Sydafrika i folkgruppen Xhosa. Luthando Qave växte upp i slutet av apartheidregimen och fick lära sig läsa noter först som 19-åring. Han kämpade mot fördomar, både bland svarta och vita, som att en svart man inte kunde sjunga opera och att det var en konstform för vita. Vi hör musik från Luthando Qaves karriär och i en repetition av Barberaren i Sevilla vid Kungliga Operan i Köpenhamn. Han sjöng även Figaro i samma opera vid Göteborgsoperan. Vi möts för intervjuer i Köpenhamn, Stockholm och Göteborg.   Musiklista: David Mulovhedzi We will follow Jesus (Somlandela) Soweto Gospel Choir   Giuseppe Verdi Falstaff, E sogno O realta Luthando Qave Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Graeme Jenkins Live vid NEUE STIMMEN 2015 - Semifinal     Gioacchino Rossini Barberaren i Sevilla Figaros aria Largo al factotum Luthando Qave Det Kongelige Kapell vid Köpenhamnsoperan Dirigent: Vincenzo Milletarì Live   Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy Pata Pata Miriam Makeba   Gioacchino Rossini Il Barbiere di Seviglia, Largo al factotum Luthando Qave Ulrich Sterk, piano. Live   W A Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro, "Non Più Andrai" Bryn Terfel James Levine Metropolitanoperans orkester   Giuseppe Verdi Simon Boccanegra akt III Oh refrigerio!... la marina brezza! Dimitrij Chvorostovskij   Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ntulube   David Mulovhedzi We will follow Jesus (Somlandela) Soweto Gospel Choir   Eduardo di Capua, text Giovanni Capurro, musik O Sole Mio Three tenors James Levine Orchestre De Paris   W A Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte, Soave sia il vento, Nr 10 Akt 1 Bryn Terfel Charles Mackerras, dirigent Scottish Chamber Orchestra   Johannes Brahms 4. Wenn ich mit Menschen, Andante con moto et anima, Serious Songs Ess-dur Luthando Qave, baryton Llr Williams, piano Live vid BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2013   Sipho 'Hot Stix' Mabuse "Nelson Mandela" Gallo Record Company CDPS 036   Natalja Pasitjn Meni Odnakovo Luthando Qave   Gioacchino Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia, Una voce poco fa · Pretty Yende Marco Armiliato · Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI   Tebogo Monnakgotla Jean-Joseph, Du är en livs levande dikt Kungliga Hovkapellet James Grossmith dirigent Rotundan Kgl Operan Live   Tebogo Monnakgotla Jean-Joseph, Du är en livs levande dikt Kungliga Hovkapellet James Grossmith dirigent Rotundan Kgl Operan Live   Giuseppe Verdi Falstaff, E sogno O realta Luthando Qave Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Graeme Jenkins Live vid NEUE STIMMEN 2015 - Semifinal     Gioacchino Rossini Il Barbiere di Seviglia, Largo al factotum Luthando Qave Ulrich Sterk, piano. Live

Tonight, Oliver and Tobias go ‘Inside the Huddle’ with baritone Anthony Clark Evans.  The 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World main prize finalist is currently singing the role of Riccardo in Bellini’s “I Puritani” at Lyric Opera of Chicago... And then, the Metropolitan Opera just announced its 2018-2019 season.  We crunch the numbers of those titles on the Dodson Scale™ in 'Chalk Talk'.  Also, James Levine has finally stepped aside as the Met's Music Director and, in an appointment that surprised precisely no one, the forty-one-year-old Québécois conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin has been named as Levine’s successor.  We’ll tell you how that affects the Met’s season... Plus, it’s the ‘Two Minute Drill’: everything you need to know from the past week in Operaland, and our hot takes on those stories... Double plus, we’ll squeeze in Oliver playing ‘Monday Evening Quarterback’ on Chicago Opera Theater’s production of Puts and Campbell’s opera “Elizabeth Cree”... www.facebook.com/OBSCHI1/

Joseph Fiennes joins Kirsty to discuss his role of the Commander in the sinister television adaptation the Handmaid's Tale currently on Channel 4.Daljit Nagra, Radio 4's poet in residence, reads a new poem commissioned for the summer solstice. Plus he discusses British Museum, his third volume of poetry which marks a significant departure of style. One hundred years since Wyndham Lewis was first commissioned as an official war artist in 1917, a major retrospective at Imperial War Museum North tells the story of the controversial and radical British artist. The exhibition's curator Richard Slocombe joins Kirsty to discuss. Scottish mezzo-soprano Catriona Morison has been awarded the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World title. Already a surprise finalist, she was the judges' choice as their wildcard entrant to compete in the final, she is also the first British winner of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. She speaks to Kirsty from Germany where she is currently based as an ensemble member of Wuppertal Opera.

Tobias and George break down the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition which wrapped up on Sunday. They introduce you to some of competitors and talk you through the winners, so there will be some spoilers... And then, Oliver files a field report from the Boston Early Music Festival. You’ll get his highs and lows on from this event which focuses on an era of music which he knows and loves... Plus, you get all your opera headlines and our hot take on them in ‘The Two Minute Drill’... @operaboxscore

Sara Mohr-Pietsch meets two American singers - the opera icon Grace Bumbry and the broadway star Audra McDonald. Plus a conversation with the sound artist Bill Fontana in Snape, Suffolk, where he's created an installation modifying sounds from the reedbeds, marshes and the Maltings' industrial past, for this year's Aldeburgh Festival. Grace Bumbry's career was launched when she won a competition at the tender age of 17. She was sought after across Europe and the USA as a mezzo soprano and later a soprano. Now aged 80, still actively coaching young singers, she's one of the jurors for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017. She talks about her life on stage and in the concert hall, and passes on the wisdom of her career.

This week Libby Purves is joined by Meeta Raval, Kate Allatt, Gene David Kirk and Nell Gifford. Meeta Raval is recognised as a rising star of the new generation of opera singers and is one of the contestants in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. She attended Wells Cathedral School and was the first Head Girl Chorister in the country. The competition will be broadcast on BBC Two, BBC Four, BBC Two Wales, Radio 3, Radio Wales and Radio Cymru. Fell-runner and mother of three, Kate Allatt's life was torn apart when she suffered a massive stroke leading to locked-in syndrome. Totally paralysed, she became a prisoner inside her own body and her family were warned that she may never walk, talk or lead a normal life again. However, through her own determination she made a remarkable recovery and did run again. Her book 'Running Free: Breaking out from locked-in syndrome' is published by Accent Press. Gene David Kirk is Artistic Director of London's Jermyn Street Theatre, who served in the Royal Air Force before embarking on a career in theatre. To mark the 100th birthday of one of the greatest playwrights in history, he directs Tennessee Williams 'A Cavalier for Milady' at the Jermyn Street Theatre, the only published work of his that has never been produced. Nell Gifford is the founder of Gifford's Circus which she set up eleven years ago. An Oxford graduate, she spent her gap year working in a circus, and never looked back, setting up her own circus eleven years ago, with the aim of recreating the magic of the traditional English travelling show. Their latest production is Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' which they are performing around the West of England this summer.