Shell Aria contest explained

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.

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.[7]

Prizewinners

Year Winner 2nd 3rd
1955 Jennifer Eddy[8] Valerie Collins Geoffrey Chard
1956 Valerie Collins[9] Robert Bickerstaff Neil Warren-Smith
1957 Gloria McDonall[10] Russell Cooper Kevin Mills
1958 Robert Bickerstaff[11] June Barron Nita Maughan
1959 Kevin Stumbles[12] June Barton Arthur Mee
1960 Yvonne Minton[13] Elaine Blight Roslyn Dunbar
1961 June Barton[14] Patricia Connop Waverney Ford
1962 Patricia Woolridge[15] Janice Hearne Robert Haase
1963 Raymond Myers[16] Barry Purcell Geoffrey Harnett
1964 Jan Bartlett[17] Marion Miller Thomas McDonnell
1965 Pettine-Anne Croul[18] Waverney Ford Ian Holston
1966 Judith Turner[19] Geoffrey Harnett George Hogg
1967 Valerie Hanlon[20] John Pringle Thomas Edmonds
1968 Geraldine Hackett-Jones[21] Thomas Edmonds George Hogg
1969 Thomas Edmonds[22] Margaret Garrett Ian Holston
1970 Richard Greager[23] Phillip Langshaw David Smith
1971 Phillip Langshaw[24] (not found) Janet Allan
1972 Peter Pianella[25] Maxwell Jarman Yvonne Laki
1973 John Pickering[26] Jacqueline Chapman Jonathan Summers
1974 Jonathan Summers[27] Frances Chambers Christopher Field
1975 Wendy Verco[28] Kenneth Cornish Rex Taylor
1976 Irene Tirbutt[29] Carole McKenzie Douglas Gibbs
1977 Gillian Sullivan
(as Gillian Wood)[30] 		Marie Driscoll Linda Elder
1978 Jenny Lindfield[31] John Fulford Constantine Mavridis
1979 Sandra Hahn[32] John Fulford Amanda Thane
1980 John Fulford[33] Joanne Neal Colin Slater
1981 Barry Ryan[34] Rosemary Boyle Claire Primrose
1982 Sussanne Towers[35] Helen Burnham Christine Beasley
1983 Fiona Maconaghie[36] Suzanne Johnston Louise Camens
1984 Christine Farraro[37] Roger Lemke Gregory Tomlinson
1985 Karen Sourry[38] Stephen Bennett Anna Connolly
1986 Peter Coleman-Wright[39] 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.[40]

See also

References

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]

Notes and References

  1. News: Ambitious Programme For Eisteddfod . . 29 . 8,366 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 26 October 1954 . 23 September 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Money worries strike a sour note . . 60 . 18,520 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 16 June 1986 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Letters to the Editor . . 44 . 12,630 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 25 May 1970 . 23 September 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Aria value raised . . 44 . 12,535 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 3 February 1970 . 23 September 2023 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Shell Aria award . . 50 . 14,280 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 21 January 1976 . 23 September 2023 . 18 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Eisteddfod choice . . 56 . 17,020 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 4 May 1982 . 23 September 2023 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: Shell Aria "now truly national" . . 57 . 17,379 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 April 1983 . 23 September 2023 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Ivanhoe girl wins aria . . Victoria, Australia . 25 April 1955 . 23 September 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia. She returned to Canberra in 1978 as adjudicator.
  9. News: Soprano wins big aria . . Victoria, Australia . 30 April 1956 . 23 September 2023 . 7 . National Library of Australia. As Valerie Collins-Varga she returned to Canberra in 1972 as a guest of honour.
  10. News: Eisteddfod Gains Record Support . . 31 . 9,144 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 15 April 1957 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Shell Aria Won By Bickerstaff At 4th Attempt . . 31 . 9,465 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 28 April 1958 . 23 September 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia. He returned to Canberra in 1979 as adjudicator.
  12. News: Shell Aria Again Won By Man . . 33 . 9,274 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 27 April 1959 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: Sydney Girl Wins £1,000 Shell Aria . . 34 . 9,584 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 25 April 1960 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: Golden Notes . . 35 . 9,900 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 1 May 1961 . 23 September 2023 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Sydney Soprano Takes Shell Aria . . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 7 May 1962 . 23 September 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: Adjudicator Praises Singing Of Myers . . 37 . 10,522 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 29 April 1963 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia. later misspelled Meyers by Hoffmann
  17. News: Singer "Novice' . . 38 . 10,844 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 11 May 1964 . 23 September 2023 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: Bellini Aria Told . . 39 . 11,151 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 10 May 1965 . 23 September 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: Shell Aria choice 'a surprise' . . 40 . 11,463 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 9 May 1966 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: NSW Girl Wins Aria . . 41 . 11,688 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 15 May 1967 . 23 September 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  21. News: Two Adelaide singers in triumph . . 42 . 11,993 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 6 May 1968 . 23 September 2023 . 9 . National Library of Australia. A student of Arnold Matters
  22. News: Shell Aria goes to S. Australian . . 43 . 12,303 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 May 1969 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia. A student of Arnold Matters
  23. News: Aria to outsider . . 44 . 12,618 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 11 May 1970 . 23 September 2023 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: Shell Aria win to NSW singer . . 45 . 12,806 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 10 May 1971 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: Singers Below Standard . . 46 . 13,118 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 8 May 1972 . 23 September 2023 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: A True Tenor . . 47 . 13,434 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 May 1973 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: Impressive Shell Aria winner . . 48 . 13,738 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 6 May 1974 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: Winner had no peer among finalists . . 49 . 14,057 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 May 1975 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: Oddly Divided Mixture . . 50 . 14,376 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 May 1976 . 23 September 2023 . 19 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: Operatic Potential . . 51 . 14,771 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 9 May 1977 . 23 September 2023 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: Singing Standard Falling Away . . 52 . 15,625 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 3 July 1978 . 23 September 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  32. News: Sydney Soprano Wins in High-standard Final . . 53 . 15,980 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 25 June 1979 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  33. News: Wins Deserved But Quality Down . . 54 . 16,342 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 23 June 1980 . 23 September 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  34. News: 1981 Proves a Real Vintage Year . . 55 . 16,705 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 22 June 1981 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  35. News: Quality Not High in Interesting Final . . 56 . 17,068 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 21 June 1982 . 23 September 2023 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  36. News: 1983 Shell Aria National Final - balance more even . . 57 . 17,431 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 20 June 1983 . 23 September 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  37. News: Baritone's performance was best . . 58 . 17,802 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 25 June 1984 . 23 September 2023 . 12 . National Library of Australia. W. L. Hoffmann at odds with adjudicator
  38. News: Fine Week for Music of Youth . . 59 . 18,193 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 22 July 1985 . 23 September 2023 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  39. News: Shell Aria Very Even Contest . . 60 . 18,534 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 30 June 1986 . 23 September 2023 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  40. News: Shell Aria leaves Canberra after 32-year eisteddfod season . . 61 . 18,6871 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 1 December 1986 . 23 September 2023 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
  41. News: 28 Canberra people in Birthday Honours . . 59 . 18,151 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 10 June 1985 . 23 September 2023 . 9 . National Library of Australia.

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