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Opera X Factor-Style
The BBC is to launch a "reality radio" show in a nationwide hunt to find the next opera sensation.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, one of the world's leading sopranos, will head a panel of judges scouring the country for new opera stars, the best of whom will showcase their talents on BBC Radio 2.
The Radio 2 Kiri Prize will be announced this week as part of the BBC's attempt to open opera up to a wider audience.
The winner will perform with Dame Kiri at the BBC's Proms in the Park in September, launching their opera career in front of an audience of thousands.
Dame Kiri, who will also offer the winner a three-week course at the Solti Te Kanawa Academia opera school in Italy, said: "I have a passion for finding new opera talent, so I'm thrilled to be involved in such an exciting project."
Aspiring opera stars will be invited to send a recording of themselves singing an opera aria into Radio 2.
Regional auditions will take place in March in Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and London, with the best contestants who make it through the auditions attending a series of 10 masterclasses with Dame Kiri.
Fifteen semi-finalists will perform this summer on a series of special episodes of Friday Night is Music Night, Radio 2's flagship live music programme, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
The best five singers chosen by the judges, who will also include Robin Stapleton, the conductor, will then go through to the final, which will be broadcast on Radio 2 on Sept 3.
A spokesman for Radio 2, said: "The judges will be looking at several criteria, but foremost among them will be technical ability, artistic interpretation, intonation, phrasing and dramatic performance.
"The initiative is looking for serious vocal potential in a very focused area of the music world. We hope to discover a unique talent who will go on to have a career in the world's opera houses for many years to come."
The competition will be open to amateur opera singers, opera students and members of company choruses aged 20 and above.
The launch of The Radio 2 Kiri Prize comes as leading opera singers have heavily criticised ITV 1's latest reality television show, Popstar to Operastar, for "cheapening" opera.
The show features celebrities including Alex James, a guitarist with the band Blur, Danny Jones from the boy band McFly and Kym Marsh, the Coronation Street actress, attempting to sing opera to a judging panel including Katherine Jenkins, the classical singer, and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the television presenter.
waveguide.co.uk
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