Shen Yang impressed the judges with a selection from Verdi

Bass-baritone Shen Yang, from Shanghai Conservatory of Music, won the title at St David's Hall in Cardiff on Sunday.

Shen was the youngest competitor in the week-long contest, and beat off four other finalists.

Shen received £15,000 prize money in the competition which helped launch the career of a fellow bass baritone, Wales' Bryn Terfel.

I think the competition is not only a competition - it's a big singing party in the world Shen Yang

Clearly overcome by his success, the singer was presented with the trophy by the competition's patron Dame Joan Sutherland.

His prize also includes engagements with the BBC and Welsh National Opera.

Afterwards he said: "I think the competition is not only a competition - it's a big singing party in the world."

The other four finalists in the biennial competition included another baritone - Hungary's Levente Molnar, an Australian Soprano Miranda Keys, and a 29-year-old mezzo soprano from Chile, Maria Isabel Vera.

The fifth finalist English soprano, Elizabeth Watts, won the £5,000 Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize, which runs alongside the main competition on Friday night.

Singers selected

The runners-up in the main final each received the Richard Lewis award, a bursary of £2,500 each given by the Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Trust.

The Audience Prize of £2,500 which is decided by those in the concert hall as well as the TV, radio and online audience went to the South African baritone Jacques Imbrailo, who had failed to reach the final.

In all 25 singers selected from the 670 worldwide who were chosen to audition took part in the contest.

The contest was launched in 1983 and in 1989 Bryn Terfel won the Lieder prize, the part of the competition now known as the Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize.