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The winner of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2011 is 24-year-old Ukrainian baritone, Andrei Bondarenko.

Yesterday evening (Friday 17 June) five young singers: Màire Flavin from Ireland, Valentina Nafornita from Moldova, Orla Kindler from Switzerland, Andrei Bondarenko from Ukraine and Leah Crocetto from USA took to the stage to compete for the prize of £5,000 and the chance to join to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme. And it was Andrei Bondarenko's programme of Schumann and Sviridov that most impressed the jury.

After being presented with his Welsh Crystal Trophy by the Patron of the competition, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Andrei said: "Seven years ago when I was training at the Kiev Conservatory in Ukraine, I would never have imagined that I would be here today, having won the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize. I am so very happy. It was my dream and I can't believe it has come true."

All ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World competitors had the choice of entering the Song Prize in recitals of Lieder and art song at the New Theatre, Cardiff, with the final at St David's Hall. The official accompanists for the Song Prize final this evening were Simon Lepper and Llyr Williams.

The Song Prize jury was chaired by John Fisher, former chief executive and artistic director of Welsh National Opera, and included Marilyn Horne and Håkan Hagegård, the distinguished Swedish pianist Bengt Forsberg, making his first appearance at the competition, and Radio 3's Adam Gatehouse.

Andrei is also taking part in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World 2011 final along with Meeta Raval from England, Valentina Nafornita from Moldova, Olesya Petrova from Russia and Hye Jung Lee from South Korea.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World is organised by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales in association with Welsh National Opera and supported by the City and Council of Cardiff.

CM5