Cardiff Singer of the World 2007: The Jury

As is traditional, this year's competition features an outstanding line-up of renowned figures from the world of opera.

Making his first appearance on the Cardiff Jury, Chairman of both the Main Prize and Song Prize panels John Fisher is the General Director of Welsh National Opera. His experience in both the administrative and musical aspects of the running of the Met, La Scala, 
the Rossini Festival at Pesaro, La Fenice and La Monnaie in 
Brussels gives him an ideal 
vantage point for assessing new talent. His job with WNO also means he'll no doubt be on the lookout for talent for the company's future productions.

Joining him on the Main Prize Jury are veteran singers Rober Lloyd, Siegfried Jerusalem, Gundula Janowitz, and Brigitte Fassbaender, who also serves on the Song Prize Jury. Other members of the panel are Lenore Rosenberg, who casts understudies and second casts at the Met; and Sir Brian MacMaster, who has served on all thirteen juries since the inception of the 
Cardiff Singer of the World in 1983. 

Meanwhile, the other members of the Song Prize jury are Adam Gatehouse, founder of the BBC Young Generation Artists scheme; accompanist Helmut Deutsch; and singer Hakan Hagegard.

In all, the entrants are sure to be under expert scrutiny.