Finalists announced for the Voice of Black Opera Competition

Monday 5 December 2022 sees the final of the Voice of Black Opera Competition at Birmingham Town Hall. The five finalists are:

• Rachel Duckett - soprano (British Jamaican)
• Chantelle Grant - mezzo-soprano (Canadian)
• Thando Mjandana - tenor (South African)
• Yolisa Ngwexana - soprano (South African)
• Isabelle Peters - soprano (British)  

They will be accompanied by the Welsh National Opera (WNO) Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren. Each singer’s repertoire at the concert will include a performance of at least one contemporary song or aria by a Black or South Asian composer and finalists will also perform a duet with other professional singers.

The finalists were selected from the semi-final rounds featuring artists from throughout the Commonwealth held in Birmingham on 24 and 25 November. At the final, the judging panel will include Tom Randle (tenor), Aiden Lang (general director of Welsh National Opera), Simon Meier (artistic director of BCMG), Jean Ronald La Fond (tenor and vocal coach), Philip Herbert (composer), Rupert Christiansen (writer and critic), and Odaline de la Martinez (conductor and composer).

Each singer will be fitted with a bespoke fashion item to wear at the final, designed by students of Birmingham City University (BCU) School of Fashion & Textiles, Bespoke jewellery will also be made for the singers by students of the BCU Birmingham School of Jewellery.

The Voice of Black Opera Competition is organised by Black British Classical Foundation in collaboration with Welsh National Opera, to showcase the finest Black and South Asian singers as they launch international operatic careers.

Full details from the BMusic website.