AN award-winning soprano singer from Winsford has started her search to find young talented soloists.

Charlotte Hoather, 24, won the prestigious Pendine International Voice of the Future competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod last year and has since seen her career catapult to the global stage.

Charlotte, who trained at the Royal College of Music, said: “The competition gave me a massive boost.

“It’s been huge for my confidence and helped me push the boundaries of where I could go and what I can do. The prize money gave me such a massive opportunity to further my career.

“Having the money available meant I could fly to New York to audition for Pittsburgh Opera and attend an event at the Metropolitan Opera House and I’m also jetting off to Seoul, South Korea at the end of March for another competition which is very exciting.”

“I’d encourage any young singer to give it a go.

“Winning the competition is life-changing. It’s helped me to take more risks and travel internationally for opportunities as a professional singer.”

The format will be slightly different this year, with the preliminary rounds being held at Llangollen Town Hall on Tuesday, July 2.

The semi-final will then be held on the pavilion stage the following day with two finalists going head to head during the live televised concert in the evening.

“The year has been amazing. I toured the role of Uccelina in Paris organised by the Théâtre du Châtelet and appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House in the same role latter touring the Scottish Highlands performing in Bambino for Scottish Opera.

“I also performed at the inaugural Waterperry Opera Festival whose Patron is Jonathan Dove, the composer of Mansfield Park and I will be reprising the role again this coming July.

“I was also guest soloist at Tideswell Remembrance concert and sang in the Rachmaninov recital at Pushkin House in Bloomsbury, London. More recently I reached the quarter finals of an International Singing competition in Dublin. It was certainly a busy year.”

The deadline for entries for this years Pendine International Voice of the Future competition is Friday, March 1.