The winner of the 12th Handel Singing Competition has been named as Rupert Charlesworth. The tenor triumphed at the final held at St George’s, Hanover Square in London to take the Regina Etz Prize and also the Audience Prize. He performed arias from Rodelinda, Theodora and Belshazzar, accompanied by members of the London Handel Orchestra directed by Laurence Cummings.

The Handel Singing Competition is part of the London Handel Festival, which this year ran from March 11 to April 16. Charlesworth wins a performance in next year’s London Handel Festival and a cash prize. Tenor Stephen Chambers, who took the Michael Oliver prize for second place, will also perform during the 2014 festival.

Charlesworth is a 2011 Academy Laureate of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and a soloist for the Royal Academy of Music, Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata series.