Andrei Kymach his triumphed at this year's Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, performing music by Rachmaninov, Donizetti and Bizet, and carrying off the top prize of £20,000.

Twenty singers from 15 different countries competed this year, and the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize was won by Katie Bray from England. 

After winning the prize, Kymach said: 'It's literally a dream come true. I can remember watching the competition when I was very young and it would never have occurred to me that I could one day even take part, let alone win. I wish to thank the jury and everyone involved with the competition for being so supportive and welcoming.'

Kymach was born in the Vinnitsa region of Ukraine and studied philosophy at university. He is a former member of the young artist scheme at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia. He will be starring in Rubinstein's opera The Demon with the Chelsea Opera Group at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, at the end of this month.

The other finalists of this year's competition were tenor Mingjie Lei, 31, from China, bass Patrick Guetti, 31, from the USA, soprano Sooyeon Lee, 30 from South Korea and mezzo-soprano Guadalupe Barrientos, 32, from Argentina.