From a field of five international sopranos, the 34–year old from Moscow took out the prestigious $20,000 first prize plus an audition at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London. Auditions for the competition were heard in four cities: Sydney, London, Vienna and New York. Ms Muslanova auditioned in Vienna in June for the renowned German singer Christa Ludwig and Artistic Director Fiona Janes before being chosen for the Final. A total of 54 aspiring dramatic sopranos entered from 18 countries.

Ms Janes said “Kseniia is that rare singer who only comes along once in a while. She has an extraordinarily beautiful voice, she sings and performs with passion and heartfelt commitment to every word she is saying and the composer’s music. She has great artistry and style with a solid technique. Kseniia has that special something as a performer one cannot teach. I sincerely hope she goes on to have a long and successful career in the great opera houses of the world. I am sure Elizabeth Connell would be thrilled with the judges’ decision.”