A NORTH Wales baritone dubbed 'the new Bryn Terfel' has been crowned as the best young singer in the world.

Emyr Lloyd Jones, 25, put in a stirring performance to take the title of the Pendine International Voice of the Future at the 75th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Following a thrilling sing-off, watched by his proud parents and fiancée, he was presented with the Pendine Trophy - a solid silver salver, and a £3,000 prize.

The prize comes from the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which supports cultural and community initiatives across Wales.

In what the judges described as an 'extremely close decision', Emyr clinched the victory just ahead of the hugely talented soprano Oksana Lepska, of Latvia.

The two virtuosos had battled their way through preliminary rounds involving more than 20 competitors from countries as far afield as China and the USA.

Just six singers made it to the semi-finals which were held on the opening days of the Eisteddfod where they competed for the final two places to perform on the show-stopping night of the famous pavilion stage.

Emyr comes from Bontnewydd, near Gwynedd, which is less than 10 miles away from where Bryn Terfel was raised in Pantglas.

Rhyl Journal:

PIC: Emyr receiving his coveted prize from Mario Kreft MBE.

He said he was “over the moon” to have won such a prestigious prize, especially in the eisteddfod’s landmark 75th anniversary year.

He said: “I feel absolutely honoured. There have been so many exceptional performances in this year’s competition that I was overwhelmed to have got into the final.

“It is an occasion which is very close to my heart. I have been competing and visiting the International Musical Eisteddfod with choirs since I was a young child so to achieve success like this in the pavilion for which I hold such affection, well it’s just staggering for me.”

Emyr impressed the Eisteddfod judges with his entrancing performances of Hai gia vinta la causa, from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro; The Cloths of Heaven, taken from a poem by WB Yeats and Y Cymro by Meirion Williams.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod executive producer, Camilla King, said his voice was reminiscent of opera mega-star Sir Bryn Terfel in his earlier years.

She said: “It has that same timbre, it’s rich, passionate, mellow and versatile. He doesn’t just sing but his voice takes you on a journey.

Rhyl Journal:

PIC: Emyr in full voice.

“I believe Emyr has the talent to become a future star of the same standing as Sir Bryn. In fact, both our finalists are outstanding talents and I’ve no doubt we will be seeing a lot more of them both in years to come.”

After studying for six years at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he met fiancée, fellow singer Rhiannon Ashley, Emyr’s career course is already moving on apace.

He will spend the next two years studying at the famed Guildhall School of Music in London where Bryn Terfel was also once a student.