Where are they now ?

[Barbirollians]

I was thinking today about soloists in particular who appear and then disappear in a flash. Two sprung to mind - Karen Geoghagan bassoonist from Classical Star, taken up by Chandos made four records appeared at the Prom and then disappeared. Well it seems not- she switched into music education and under her married name Karen Clark is quite a big cheese up there .

Another was the second Alex Slobodyanik who made an excellent record of the Third Chopin Sonata and Schumann's Kinderszenen only to disappear about 15 years ago . I was amazed to read today he is now quite a well known actor and filmmaker in the USA under the name Sacha Seberg.

[smittims]

In my experience many young people in the 'performance' world have to be verastile, and be able to sing, act, play an instrument,etc. and be ready to switch to another activity to keep up their proifile (and maybe their income). Myleen Klass is an extreme example , from classical pianist to pop singer to Classic FM presenter to celebrity mother to 'I'm a celebrity; get me out of here!' after which I hear her white bikini fetched a lot of money at a charity auction.

It's a notoriously overcrowded profession and there are always younger, more eager newcomers pushing up. It must be nerve-wracking, and frustrating to see a glamorous (in various ways) person get ahead of a more seriously-musically-gifted artist. I've admired performances by various musicians (singers, conductors, cellists) who seem to get upstaged and dropped in favour of another who is more visually striking in some way .

I wish there was an answer but I can't think what it could be. But I think Television has played a part. Wilhelm Backhaus didn't have to look sexy or flash his legs on TV to get a successful career!

[Barbirollians]

I understand Ida Haendel used to complain about this in the 1980s - that why was she expected to compete with pretty young female violinists

[LMcD]

Patrick McCarthy, who briefly found fame when he stepped in to replace Thomas Allen in a performance of Carmina Burana in a 1974 Prom, retired from conducting in 2022 after a long career in the Colchester area. He's now approaching his 79th birthday.

[Petrushka]

Dmitri Sgouros and Vladimir Ovchinnokov are two pianists who made a big splash when young (I saw both) being hailed as the next Rachmaninov etc but who disappeared from view just as quickly as they appeared.

Perhaps they couldn't take the pressure but I've never heard of either in around 40 years.

[mopsus]

More than one former 'Cardiff Singer of the World' seems to have sunk without trace after a few years.

[smittims]

Does anyone remember Dr. Michael Bialoguski? I think it was inthe early 1970s he hit the headlines after he hired the Royal Albert Hall and the (then New Philharmonia Orchestra to give a concert. The newspapers seemed to treat it as if he was a complete nobody, but for all they knew he could have had some amateur experience. They asked the NPO in effect what they thought of it and they said words to the effect that 'he's paying, we're playing'. Unicorn records were interested enough to ask him to make an LP of Martinu and Vorisek symphonies, but it didn't get good reviews.

[visualnickmos]

More than one former 'Cardiff Singer of the World' seems to have sunk without trace after a few years.

That's true; I've often echoed your thought, while the contest is 'on' every two years. I was at the final sometime in the 1990s, when Lisa Gasteen won. I've never heard mention of her since. But then, I don't really follow the opera world....

[mopsus]

That's true; I've often echoed your thought, while the contest is 'on' every two years. I was at the final sometime in the 1990s, when Lisa Gasteen won. I've never heard mention of her since. But then, I don't really follow the opera world....

She had a significant career in opera, to judge by her Wikipedia page, although it is weak on dates and seems to have been written some time ago. It looks as if she stopped performing in operas in 2008, when she had physiological problems affecting her voice.

Yang Guang, Tommi Hakala and Marius Brenciu seem to have vanished quite quickly, and there's nothing in recent years for Shenyang, Valentina Nafornița, Nadine Koutcher or Nicole Cabell. (Of course women might take a few years out to have a family.) I'm going by Wikipedia pages, on the assumption that singers like to keep theirs up to date, or at least their fans do.

Another winner seems to have confined themselves to the opera house of their home country - but perhaps they decided they would have a better quality of life by doing so than with the ceaseless travel that comes with international success.

Anyway, we won't be able to track the 2025 winner as the competition is not being held this year. I don't know whether this is specifically to do with the closure of St David's Hall or just part of the general malaise affecting classical music in Wales. The next one is scheduled for 2027.

[Roger Webb]

That's true; I've often echoed your thought, while the contest is 'on' every two years. I was at the final sometime in the 1990s, when Lisa Gasteen won. I've never heard mention of her since. But then, I don't really follow the opera world....

A reminder of that win in Cardiff....

https://youtu.be/TZ6vHoooDoI?si=2t7af_bdt8NuSlS-

She gave up singing for a while because of a muscular problem in her neck. She is on the teaching staff at Queensland Univ. and founded the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School, so not totally resting on those Cardiff laurels!

[CallMePaul]

More than one former 'Cardiff Singer of the World' seems to have sunk without trace after a few years.

The same could be said of some Young Musician winners. The name of Alan Brind comes to mind, a violinist who won in the late 1980s (I think) but did not have much of a career. I believe that he tried his hand at becoming a snooker pro but didn't make the grade. Anna Markland, another 1980s winner, this time as a pianist, now performs under her married name of Anna Crook as a soprano with I Fagiolini. If I had the winners list to hand I could probably think of others. Several section winners, notably Sir Stephen Hough and Michael Collins (both from the first competition), have had major careers, as have some who did not win their sections such as Tasmin Little and Adrian Brendel.

[Roslynmuse]

Yang Guang, Tommi Hakala and Marius Brenciu seem to have vanished quite quickly, and there's nothing in recent years for Shenyang, Valentina Nafornița, Nadine Koutcher or Nicole Cabell. (Of course women might take a few years out to have a family.) I'm going by Wikipedia pages, on the assumption that singers like to keep theirs up to date, or at least their fans do.

Nadine Koutcher made some splendid recordings, including a wonderful Rameau disc with Teodor Currentzis. Her website gives a few recent performances (up to 2023) but although it is copyright 2025, there's nothing since then listed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

That's true; I've often echoed your thought, while the contest is 'on' every two years. I was at the final sometime in the 1990s, when Lisa Gasteen won. I've never heard mention of her since. But then, I don't really follow the opera world....

She had a major career. I saw her as Brunhilde at Covent Garden.Destined for for great things but, it seems , had this injury. Looking at the list of Cardiff winners it’s striking how many big names emerged from song prize side of things - more so than the main prize.

[mopsus]

Anna Markland, another 1980s winner, this time as a pianist, now performs under her married name of Anna Crook as a soprano with I Fagiolini.

I think she moved away from piano into singing when she was a student, quite soon after winning the competition.

[visualnickmos]

She had a major career. I saw her as Brunhilde at Covent Garden.Destined for for great things but, it seems , had this injury. Looking at the list of Cardiff winners it’s striking how many big names emerged from song prize side of things - more so than the main prize.

That's good. I'm pleased she had a major career. I remember thinking how super-powerful her voice was; controlled, not belted out, but there was clearly plenty more from 'where that came from' I can't believe it was 34 years ago!!!
It was an amazing evening.