THE STELLAR field of a dozen international artists that contested The Voice of Black Opera (VOBO) competition was whittled down to one when Rachel Duckett was crowned the winner at the enthralling Grand Final concert, which took place at Birmingham Town Hall recently. 

The Paris-based Briton clinched The Sir Willard White Trophy, as well as a £10,000 grand prize of repertoire coaching with music staff of Welsh National Opera (WNO), and a forthcoming concert appearance with the WNO Orchestra.

Runner-up South African Thando Mjandana was awarded £5,000 in prize money and three performances of a specifically commissioned new work by Daniel Kidane for voice and ensemble with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. He also clinched The Samuel Coleridge Taylor Award for giving the best performance of a contemporary song on the night.

The VOBOs was organised by the Black British Classical Foundation (BBCF), in collaboration with WNO, ‘to showcase the finest Black and South Asian singers as they launch international operatic careers.’ BBCF exists to address classical music’s under-representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Its Founder and Artistic Director, Vincent Osborne, said afterwards: “The award-winning interpretations we saw from Rachel Duckett and Thando Mjandana were truly riveting. Through their passionate and committed performances at the Voice of Black Opera Final and throughout the whole competition process, all of our finalists and semi-finalists have eloquently espoused the cause of greater diversity and inclusion on our stages. I have no doubt that each of them will continue to inspire us for many years to come.”

Tom Randle, Chair of the judges said: “It was a spectacular evening and a very hard decision, like choosing between oranges and apples. Every one of the singers was a worthy and deserving winner. In the end it came down to those special, indefinable qualities, listening out for something new, something different – the voice that astonishes and surprises.”

The final brought a conclusion to a hive of activity which began in the classical music world once BBCF announced the competition earlier this year: twelve vocalists were chosen via video auditions that were open to black and South Asian singers that hail from countries within the Commonwealth. 

The dozen was then invited to Birmingham to take part in the semi-finals last November and participate in two weeks of intensive professional development workshops, rehearsals and a masterclass, which led to the selection of the top five finalists to compete for the top spots. 

Speaking to The Voice post-ceremony, Duckett said: “I’m over the moon! It feels great. It’s the culmination of singing and working with such amazing people and having these amazing masterclasses. 

“When they announced me as winner, I was stunned but in a good way! We all competed hoping to win but it still takes you unaware somehow. There was such a high standard of singers – I was getting goosebumps listening to my fellow participants and so I didn’t envy the judges!”

Now eight years into her operatic career, Duckett grew up listening to her mother singing jazz, graduating to her secondary school’s Gospel choir and after years of singing to herself, overcame stage fright by switching to a new genre – opera. Hers is a welcome addition to the operatic world which is buoyant at present.

BBCF’s Osborne continued: “There is an embarrassment of riches and talent within our communities of colour, just waiting for opportunities and the right platform to be heard and seen. Voice Of Black Opera is the vehicle to drive the winners to become household names and in-demand at concert halls and opera houses throughout the world.”

The VOBO triumph rounded off a banner year for Ducker, which saw her sing at the world premiere of Babel at Opera Nice, and scoop further honours including becoming the first recipient of the “Amis des Voix des Outres-Mer Christiane Eda-Pierre” prize. 

Having relocated to Paris to improve her French and retain crucial post-Brexit access to the wider European market, Duckett expressed a note of caution about her new continental homeland: “France has an incredible history of providing opportunity for black artists and intellectuals like Josephine Baker and James Baldwin but to put things into perspective, it is accepting of people from all over the world and Paris being so cosmopolitan, but the politician’s outburst in parliament recently was shocking.”

Last November, Gregoire de Fournas, a far-right member of the Assemblee Nationale parliament, was temporarily suspended after shouting ‘Go back to Africa,’ while a black fellow member, Carlos Martens Bilongo was speaking about the migrant issue. The house speaker halted proceedings and launched an investigation which resulted in the suspension plus a heaviest sanction available – a fine equalling Fournas’ monthly MP salary. 

“Life in Europe is feeling a bit weird, becoming nationalistic and very right wing, which is very concerning. This is something we’re still fighting against. It’s amazing to feel like something of a trailblazer – not just me but all of us in the competition – while at the same time its sad and disappointing that we still have to do that. 

“That said, I’m so thrilled with the win, to be continuing my journey and with excitement for the future and the upcoming dates with the Welsh National Opera.”