Past Winners
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An update on where the Competition winners are now. |
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1983: Karita Mattila
Finnish soprano Karita Mattila is at the very peak of a hugely successful international career, and is one of the most sought-after sopranos in the world. Her performance as Elisabeth de Valois in Luc Bondy's production of Don Carlos was seen in theatres across Europe as well as on TV and video.
Recently she has performed and recorded Janacek's Jenufa to great acclaim, and performs regularly in the great opera houses such as Paris, San Francisco, Berlin and New York.
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1985: David Malis
American baritone David Malis had never before sung outside the USA when he entered the Cardiff competition. Now he has many credits throughout the world, including Ford in Peter Stein's acclaimed production of Falstaff.
His career is mainly based in the US, where he is a regular performer at all the major houses including San Francisco and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
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1987: Valeria Esposito
Soprano Valeria Esposito found that the international acclaim which accompanied her win did not initially make much impact at home in Italy - at least until she was able to perform for Muti and Abbado.
She now has a busy international career, performing roles as diverse asincluding Queen of the Night Die Zauberflöte at Baltimore Opera and Olympia Les contes d'Hoffmann at Vienna State Opera.
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1989: Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky took part in the scorching Final in which Bryn Terfel won the Lieder prize. Like Mattila, he has become an international superstar with lucrative recording contracts. He frequently appears at all the major opera houses, his most notable roles including the title roles in Eugene Onegin and Don Giovanni, Figaro Il barbiere di Siviglia, Posa Don Carlo and Francesco I Masnadieri. He also undertakes concert work all over the world, both in recital and with orchestra.
Dmitri Hvorostovsky has an extensive discography, including opera recordings of Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, Cavalleria Rusticana, The Tsar's Bride and Don Carlo. He has also recorded recital and aria discs of Neapolitan songs, Russian Romances, Italian arias and bel canto arias as well as Russian sacred music.
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1991: Lisa Gasteen
Lisa Gasteen recently made her debut at the Royal Opera House where her performance in the role of Isolde was greeted with universal critical acclaim. She has since returned for her role debut as Elektra. Equally triumphant was her debut as Brunnhilde in the Theatre Meiningen's new Ring.
This summer Lisa sings Amelia in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera for Australian Opera (Sydney) followed by a return to Europe for the role of Chrysothemis in Strauss Elektra at the Berlin State Opera. She then flies back to Australia and the Australian Opera (Melbourne) for performances as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.
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1993: Inger Dam-Jensen
Equally successful on both the opera and concert stages, Inger Dam-Jensen's concert work ranges from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn to Haydn's Creation. She also appears frequently in recital.
Inger Dam-Jensen is resident at the Royal Danish Opera, where roles include Sophie Der Rosenkavalier, Adina Lelisir damore, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Musetta La bohème and Pamina Die Zauberflote. Outside Denmark, she has performed at Opera Bastille, Paris, Geneva Opera and the Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
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1995: Katarina Karnéus
Katarina Karnéus is now firmly established as one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation. This summer Katarina performs the role of Clytemnestre in Gluck's Iphigenie en Aulide for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and will also perform Sesto in Handel's Giulio Cesare for the Munich Opera Festival. She then sings Annio Clemenza di Tito, Mozart, for the Royal Opera and Octavian in Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier for Göteborg Opera as well as recordings Szymanowski songs with the CBSO and Sir Simon Rattle. In 2003 Katarina sings Siebl in Gounod's Faust and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro for the Metropolitan Opera New York.
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1997: Guang Yang
Within six years of giving up work in a textile factory to study singing, Chinese mezzo Guang Yang had won this prestigious title. In addition to appearing in concerts and opera throughout Europe, Guang Yang continued with her studies, attending The Juilliard School in New York.
In 2001 she won Placido Domingo's Operalia Competition and is now a member of the Young Artists Programme at the Chicago Opera, where roles include Albine Thaïs and Annina La traviata.
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1999: Anja Harteros
Since her win in 1999, Anja Harteros' career has steadily built, with opera appearances in all the major European houses concert work.
Recent engagements include the role of Eva in Wagner's Die Meistersinger for the Hamburg Staatsoper, Vienna Staatsoper and Opera Bastille, Paris and Mimi La Bohème in Dresden and Deutsche Oper Berlin.
In 2003-4 she performs the roles of the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Donna Anna Don Giovanni for the Metropolitan Opera, New York.
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2001: Marius Brenciu
In 2002, Marius Brenciu debuted at the BBC Proms with Goyescas by Granados, followed by his debut at the Edinburgh International Festival. This followed a highly successful recital at London's St John's Smith Square and a return to the same venue for a performance of Handel arias with the Academy of Ancient Music.
Recent engagements include performances of Eugene Onegin for the Deutsche Oper, Berlin and the New Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv, as well as the role of Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata, again for the Deutsche Oper.
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