Welsh soprano Catrin Aur, who hails from Beulah, was recently awarded joint first prize in the Wagner Society’s Singing Competition 2013, along with fellow Welsh singer, baritone Paul-Carey Jones.

The David Josefowitz Hall was packed by an enthusiastic audience for the first year of the new format for the Wagner Society's annual singing competition for rising Wagner singers.

The standard of the singing from the eight contestants, was impressively high, and as the judges could not agree on a single winner, they took the unusual step of naming joint winners, whose prize is specialised coaching for a Wagner role or in the German language.

Soprano Catrin Aur shared the top prize with baritone Paul Carey-Jones after her Selig, wie der Sonne from Die Meistersinger soared with ease, followed with a radiant Dich, teure Halle from Tannhäuser.

Catrin Aur studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music, London and at the International Academy of Voice in Cardiff with Dennis O'Neill.

Her operatic roles include Aida and High Priestess in Aida for Raymond Gubbay Productions at the Royal Albert Hall in London and Musetta in La Boheme for Opera Project.

Concert highlights include concerts in Hong Kong with the City Chamber Orchestra Hong Kong, Mendelssohn Symphony No2 ‘Lobgesang’ at Cadogan Hall in London and performances at Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva. Catrin was guest soloist in a UK tour of Johann Strauss music and has also performed in the USA, Canada, Italy and Japan.

This season, Catrin sings Lady Billows in Albert Herring for Mid Wales Opera while future plans include Kate Pinkerton and understudy of Madama Butterfly in Madama Butterfly for Scottish Opera. Future concerts include a series of Classical Spectacular Galas at the Royal Albert Hall in London and in Istanbul for Raymond Gubbay Productions Ltd.