Shell Aria contest

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For contests organised by ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association), see ARIA Music Awards.

The Shell Aria, originally Shell Open Aria, contest was an Australian vocal competition for young classical opera singers, held annually in Canberra from 1955[1] to 1986, named for and sponsored by, Shell Australia in conjunction with the Australian National Eisteddfod Society (founded 1938).[2]

The prize was particularly valuable — £1,000 cash, a year's wages for most workers. It was later redefined as a scholarship, which must be used in training overseas — a condition of eligibility.[3] In 1966 the prize was translated to $2,000, an exact conversion, but thanks to inflation and devaluation, a fraction of the prize's original value. In 1970 it was increased to $3,000[4] then $4,000 in 1976.[5] and from 1982 the winner could substitute a six-month contract with the Australian Opera for overseas travel depending on voice type.[6] Among successful finalists who went on to international careers were Jennifer Eddy, Robert Bickerstaff, Yvonne Minton, Raymond Myers, Richard Greager, Gillian Sullivan, Jonathan Summers, Sandra Hahn and Thomas Edmonds.[7]

At first, all heats and judging were held in Canberra, but from 1983, with the involvement of Australian Opera, Queensland Lyric Opera, Victorian State Opera, State Opera of South Australia, and Western Australian Opera, preliminary heats took place in each State capital, with the finalists being flown to Canberra for the Finals.[8]

Prizewinners

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Year Winner 2nd 3rd
1955 Jennifer Eddy[9] Valerie Collins Geoffrey Chard
1956 Valerie Collins[10] Robert Bickerstaff Neil Warren-Smith
1957 Gloria McDonall[11] Russell Cooper Kevin Mills
1958 Robert Bickerstaff[12] June Barron Nita Maughan
1959 Kevin Stumbles[13] June Barton Arthur Mee
1960 Yvonne Minton[14] Elaine Blight Roslyn Dunbar
1961 June Barton[15] Patricia Connop Waverney Ford
1962 Patricia Woolridge[16] Janice Hearne Robert Haase
1963 Raymond Myers[17] Barry Purcell Geoffrey Harnett
1964 Jan Bartlett[18] Marion Miller Thomas McDonnell
1965 Pettine-Anne Croul[19] Waverney Ford Ian Holston
1966 Judith Turner[20] Geoffrey Harnett George Hogg
1967 Valerie Hanlon[21] John Pringle Thomas Edmonds
1968 Geraldine Hackett-Jones[22] Thomas Edmonds George Hogg
1969 Thomas Edmonds[23] Margaret Garrett Ian Holston
1970 Richard Greager[24] Phillip Langshaw David Smith
1971 Phillip Langshaw[25] (not found) Janet Allan
1972 Peter Pianella[26] Maxwell Jarman Yvonne Laki
1973 John Pickering[27] Jacqueline Chapman Jonathan Summers
1974 Jonathan Summers[28] Frances Chambers Christopher Field
1975 Wendy Verco[29] Kenneth Cornish Rex Taylor
1976 Irene Tirbutt[30] Carole McKenzie Douglas Gibbs
1977 Gillian Sullivan
(as Gillian Wood)[31]		 Marie Driscoll Linda Elder
1978 Jenny Lindfield[32] John Fulford Constantine Mavridis
1979 Sandra Hahn[33] John Fulford Amanda Thane
1980 John Fulford[34] Joanne Neal Colin Slater
1981 Barry Ryan[35] Rosemary Boyle Claire Primrose
1982 Sussanne Towers[36] Helen Burnham Christine Beasley
1983 Fiona Maconaghie[37] Suzanne Johnston Louise Camens
1984 Christine Farraro[38] Roger Lemke Gregory Tomlinson
1985 Karen Sourry[39] Stephen Bennett Anna Connolly
1986 Peter Coleman-Wright[40] Fiona Janes Elisa Wilson

There was no 1987 contest. Shell Australia withdrew from sponsorship and distanced itself from the Australian National Eisteddfod Society. Instead, it became a partner with Opera Foundation Australia, as sponsor of The Shell Royal Opera House Covent Garden Scholarship, the first competition to be held in Adelaide on 10 May 1987.[7]

See also

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References

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Most of these Canberra Times reviews were written by William Laurence Hoffmann, a Canberra resident from 1946 and music journalist from 1962 to 1995. He was awarded an AOM in January 1985.[41]

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