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SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION REPORT
The Bilbao Singing Contest 2010: Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao. Conductor Sergio Oliva. Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao. 6.11.2020 (JMI)
Bilbao’s Singing Contest reached its 13th annual instalment this November, and as far as the voices were concerned, it was a truly underwhelming one.
Even so, the Jury under acting President Mr. Silvano Carrolli awarded a first prize anyway, to Italian mezzo soprano Katia Metlova among the female voices and to Korean baritone Jonghoon Heo
among the men.
Ms. Metlova is a 33 year old singer who cannot be considered particularly promising since she’s probably already as good as she
can get. She sang “O don fatale” with some temperament, artificial bottom notes, and a top that bordered
on screaming. Jonghoon Heo is 31 years old, a well schooled and quite expressive singer. With his pleasant, if somewhat
small voice, he offered a good "O Carlo ascolta”.
The second prizes in both categories went to the Korean light soprano Yun Jeong Lee and to
tenor Bohan Choe, also from Korea. Hers is a good coloratura, best displayed with an acceptable,
although modest, Queen of the Night. His was a boring rendition of “Che gelida manina.”
Third prizes went to German soprano Agnes Selma Weiland, a decent Micaela, and to Georgian bass Shavleg Macharashvili, owner of an impressive voice, reminding me a bit of his compatriot Paata Burchuladze. If he improves his musicianship, he has a bright future
ahead of him. The audience prize — awarded by the few who were present—went to
the Basque light soprano Helena Orcoyen, who showed some promise at 24. Sadly, Maestro Oliva and the accompanying orchestra were no more than efficient.
José M Irurzun