The inaugural competition in 2023 was won by mezzo soprano Annabel Kennedy, who was accompanied by Emily Hoh. Both went on to achieve success in the prestigious 2024 Royal Overseas League competition, with Annabel winning the prize for the Singing Section and Emily that for Collaborative Piano across the four sections of the competition. Annabel spent the summer of 2023 as a Jerwood artist at Glyndebourne, and is due to join the Opera Studio at Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf in 2024, as well as covering the role of Cherubino for Garsington Opera’s Le Nozze di Figaro this summer and singing the role of Juno in Rameau’s Platée.
The second prize for singers was won by soprano Catriona Hewitson (see below). Later in 2023, Catriona sang the role of Micaela in the Waterperry Opera production of Bizet’s Carmen, and that of Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera. Catriona also returned to Battle in July 2023 with pianist Katrina Yorgova to perform two short programmes in An Evening of Midsummer Delights, an account of which may be found in our Events page under Past Events. As an Emerging Artist with Scottish Opera, Catriona sang the role of Queen Casilda in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers which you can see in its entirety on BBC Four I-Player by clicking HERE.
In October 2023, Emily took part in the English Song Course as a Britten Pears Young Artist exploring the English Song repertoire.
The Hope Gosse Award for a collaborative pianist was won by Ana Manastireanu, who accompanied Catriona Hewitson in the competition.
Later in 2023, Ana and Annabel Kennedy won both the Press Jury and Junior Jury prizes at the 56th s’Hertogenbosch International Vocal Competition. Their full performance in the Final is available on YouTube.
