Natalia Kutateladze among BBC Cardiff Singer of the World finalists
Natalia Kutateladze performed a segment from 'Samson et Dalila' in the contest on Monday. Screenshot from BBC video.
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Georgian mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze is one of 16 finalists of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, a contest marking its 20th edition and broadcast on TV and online through June 19.
The singer, who last year swept four prizes at the Tenor Viñas Singing Contest in Barcelona, is among contestants from 15 countries aged between 26-32. The competition has been running since Saturday, hosted in Cardiff with a limited audience due to pandemic restrictions.
Following her qualification among the finalists, Kutateladze said she was "a little bit shocked but thankful" for the audience for creating an environment of "support and encouragement" even in the reduced capacity. The mezzo-soprano was then on stage on Monday to perform a segment from Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila.
The widely broadcast event is followed by viewers on TV and radio channels and online platforms of the British broadcaster, with "record-breaking number of applications" reported by organisers this year. The ultimate winner will claim the trophy along with a money prize of £20,000.
See Natalia Kutateladze perform at the competition on Monday:
The competition host its second round on Monday, with two more stages to go throughout this week before Saturday's Main Prize Final. Beside the principal award, winners are revealed for Song Prize and Audience Prize distinctions.
In their performances, the competitors are accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, under the batons of Andrew Litton and Michael Christie.
Last year Kutateladze, 29, earned second prize as well as special prizes from Teatro Real de Madrid and the Association of Friends of the Opera Sabadell at the Barcelona contest. She was also awarded the audience prize of the contest that saw the mezzo perform in the Habanera from the Bizet classic Carmen and O mio Fernando from Donizetti's La Favorita.
Graduating from Tbilisi State Conservatoire, she sang at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre before attending the Juilliard School in New York and going on to perform at the Bayerischer Staatsoper in Munich.