Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton has been named the winner of the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. The US singer triumphed over four fellow finalists at St David’s Hall on Sunday night to take the trophy and £15,000 cash prize with her performances of Cilea, Humperdinck, Sibelius and Berlioz. She also won the competition’s Song Prize for the best lieder performance, which took place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on Friday. 

Barton competed against Italian soprano Teresa Romano, Croatian bass baritone Marko Mimica, Argentinian mezzo soprano Daniela Mack, and Ukranian soprano Olena Tokar.

She was awarded the trophy by competition patron and judge, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. ‘I can't believe I've won both the main prize and the song prize - it's a complete privilege and honour,’ she said. ‘The competition has been an incredible experience and I'll hold very fond memories of my time in Cardiff.’

The finalists' performances were accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Jun Mӓrkl and Graeme Jenkins. Over 400 singers auditioned for this year’s 30th anniversary competition, which was broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3. Held every two years, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World counts Karita Mattila, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Nicole Cabell and Ekaterina Scherbachenko among its previous winners.