Cardiff Singer of the World, 2017/R3 & BBC4

[pastoralguy]

Shall be watching for Catriona Morison in future. A special intelligence.

[Stanley Stewart]

Ophelia's entreaty to Laertes, 'Tis is my memory lock'd, And you yourself shall keep the key of it'
sprang to mind as I completed a set of HD transfers to DVD of this year's Cardiff competition. Started off-air transfers to video yonks ago until the acquisition of a DVD recorder early in the millenium set a new standard. Opus Arte produced a welcome 2 DVD set in 2003 covering the first 20 years and I must now collate a set of DVD's covering the subsequent years. I return to these for reference on a regular basis. I am not a singer although many years in rep taught me the principle of 'point' numbers and a rudimentary grasp of Rudolph Laban notation taught me to grasp the technique of communication beyond the 'actions' behind the eyes and how these are sustained. The standard of recording at Cardiff is in a class by itself, alongside the range of performance. A joy to watch each performer's demeanour from their initial entrance and how a thought is sustained in their eyes until the music stops.

2017 may yet be seen as the best ever for its range of quality performances and I shall especially treasure frequent viewings of Catriona Morison and Louise Alders in the last two performances on a single DVD transfer. Master classes on both occasions.

[gurnemanz]

I see Catriona Morison has taken German citizenship. Twitter message