They comprise the Competition’s youngest and eldest competitors and are two sopranos, a bass, a tenor and the only counter-tenor in this year’s competition.

Each were winners in the concerts they took part in during the last five days in front of packed audiences at St David’s Hall, Cardiff and the panel of international judges.

Chairman of the judges John Fisher, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Welsh National Opera made the announcement to hushed audience members, each eager to hear if their choices matched those of the experts.

The five finalists who will compete on Sunday at St David’s Hall for the title BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 are: soprano Eri Nakamura, aged 31, from Japan; soprano Ekaterina Shcherbachenko, aged 32, from Russia; tenor Giordano Lucà, aged 21, from Italy; bass Jan Martiník, aged 26, from the Czech Republic 30-year-old counter-tenor Yuriy Mynenko, from Ukraine.

Huw Edwards and Aled Jones present the final of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World from St David’s Hall with expert analysis and comment on BBC Two from 5.30pm BBC Radio 3 live coverage of the final is presented by Petroc Trelawny with commentary from Catherine Bott from 5.30pm. Nicola Heywood Thomas presents coverage of the final on BBC Radio Wales from 5pm and Sian Pari Huws, Alwyn Humphreys and Beti George present BBC Radio Cymru’s coverage from 5pm.

The 25 singers are competing for the title BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and receive a £15,000 prize, which is provided by the City and County of Cardiff. The Competition is organised by BBC Wales.

Yuriy Mynenko, Ukraine; Ekaterina Shcherbachenko, Russia; Jan Martiník, Czech Republic; Eri Nakamura, Japan and Giordano Lucà, Italy.

The 25 singers who represent nations as far afield as Chile and Russia, Australia and Italy were selected from more than 600 singers from around the world who took part in auditions in 44 locations in more than 30 countries for the biennial competition.

This year all singers taking part will also be eligible to benefit from a new bursary to help towards the development of their musical careers. A follower of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, Annie Sankey, has left the competition a bequest and a new bursary in her name to support singers who take part in the competition has been established. Menna Richards, Director BBC Cymru Wales said, “The bursaries will help support the studies of competitors, including helping with travel and the purchase of musical scores”.

Twenty of the singers also took part in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize which had its own final at St David’s Hall on Friday, June 12.