Shell Aria contest

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]

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

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 Greagher, 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]

Winners
  • 1955 Jennifer Eddy, of Ivanhoe, Victoria[9] She returned to Canberra in 1978 as adjudicator.[10]
  • 1956 Valerie Collins of Hawthorn, Victoria [11] As Valerie Collins-Varga she returned to Canberra in 1972 as a guest of honour.[12]
  • 1957 Gloria McDonall[13]
  • 1958 Robert Bickerstaff[14] He returned to Canberra in 1979 as adjudicator.[15]
  • 1959 Kevin Stumbles, of Wollongong[16]
  • 1960 Yvonne Minton[17]
  • 1961 June Barton, of Burwood, Victoria[18]
  • 1962 Patricia Woolridge[19]
  • 1963 Raymond Myers[20]
  • 1964 Jan Bartlett[21]
  • 1965 Pettine-Anne Croul[22]
  • 1966 Judith Turner[23]
  • 1967 Valerie Hanlon of Leichhardt, New South Wales[24]
  • 1968 Geraldine Hackett-Jones of Adelaide, a student of Arnold Matters[25]
  • 1969 Thomas Edmonds of Adelaide, a student of Arnold Matters[26]
  • 1970 Richard Greager of Victoria[27]
  • 1971 Phillip Langshaw[28]
  • 1972 Peter Pianelli[29]
  • 1973 John Pickering[30]
  • 1974 Jonathan Summers[31]
  • 1975 Wendy Verco[32]
  • 1976 Irene Tirbutt[33]
  • 1977 Gillian Wood of Adelaide[34]
  • 1978 Jenny Lindfield[35]
  • 1979 Sandra Hahn[36]
  • 1980 John Fulford[37]
  • 1981 Barry Ryan[38]
  • 1982 Sussanne Towers[39]
  • 1983 Fiona Maconaghie[40]
  • 1984 Christine Farraro[41]
  • 1985 Karen Sourry[42]
  • 1986 Peter Coleman-Wright[43]

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

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.[44]

  1. "Ambitious Programme For Eisteddfod". The Canberra Times. Vol. 29, no. 8, 366. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 October 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. "Money worries strike a sour note". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 520. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 16 June 1986. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Letters to the Editor". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 630. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 May 1970. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Aria value raised". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 535. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 February 1970. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Shell Aria award". The Canberra Times. Vol. 50, no. 14, 280. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 January 1976. p. 18. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Eisteddfod choice". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 17, 020. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 May 1982. p. 13. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Shell Aria leaves Canberra after 32-year eisteddfod season". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 6871. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 1 December 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Shell Aria "now truly national"". The Canberra Times. Vol. 57, no. 17, 379. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 April 1983. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Ivanhoe girl wins aria". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 25 April 1955. p. 5. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Aria Victor Returns as Judge". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 15, 618. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 June 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia. Here misspelled "Jenifer"
  11. "Soprano wins big aria". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 30 April 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Former winners to return". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 13, 114. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 May 1972. p. 21. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Eisteddfod Gains Record Support". The Canberra Times. Vol. 31, no. 9, 144. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 April 1957. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. "Shell Aria Won By Bickerstaff At 4th Attempt". The Canberra Times. Vol. 31, no. 9, 465. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 April 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "Bickerstaff Will Adjudicate Aria". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 977. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 June 1979. p. 29. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. "Shell Aria Again Won By Man". The Canberra Times. Vol. 33, no. 9, 274. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 27 April 1959. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. "Sydney Girl Wins £1,000 Shell Aria". The Canberra Times. Vol. 34, no. 9, 584. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 April 1960. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "Golden Notes". The Canberra Times. Vol. 35, no. 9, 900. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 1 May 1961. p. 12. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "Sydney Soprano Takes Shell Aria". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 May 1962. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. "Adjudicator Praises Singing Of Myers". The Canberra Times. Vol. 37, no. 10, 522. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 April 1963. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia. later misspelled Meyers by Hoffmann
  21. "Singer "Novice'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 38, no. 10, 844. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 May 1964. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. "Bellini Aria Told". The Canberra Times. Vol. 39, no. 11, 151. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 May 1965. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. "Shell Aria choice 'a surprise'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 40, no. 11, 463. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 May 1966. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. "NSW Girl Wins Aria". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 688. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 May 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. "Two Adelaide singers in triumph". The Canberra Times. Vol. 42, no. 11, 993. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 May 1968. p. 9. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. "Shell Aria goes to S. Australian". The Canberra Times. Vol. 43, no. 12, 303. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 May 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. "Aria to outsider". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 618. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 May 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. "Shell Aria win to NSW singer". The Canberra Times. Vol. 45, no. 12, 806. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 May 1971. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. "Singers Below Standard". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 13, 118. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 8 May 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. "A True Tenor". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 434. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 May 1973. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. "Impressive Shell Aria winner". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 738. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 May 1974. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. "Winner had no peer among finalists". The Canberra Times. Vol. 49, no. 14, 057. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 May 1975. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. "Oddly Divided Mixture". The Canberra Times. Vol. 50, no. 14, 376. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 May 1976. p. 19. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  34. "Operatic Potential". The Canberra Times. Vol. 51, no. 14, 771. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 May 1977. p. 17. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. "Singing Standard Falling Away". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 15, 625. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 3 July 1978. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  36. "Sydney Soprano Wins in High-standard Final". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 980. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 June 1979. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  37. "Wins Deserved But Quality Down". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 342. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 23 June 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  38. "1981 Proves a Real Vintage Year". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 705. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 22 June 1981. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  39. "Quality Not High in Interesting Final". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 17, 068. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 June 1982. p. 14. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  40. "1983 Shell Aria National Final - balance more even". The Canberra Times. Vol. 57, no. 17, 431. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 June 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  41. "Baritone's performance was best". The Canberra Times. Vol. 58, no. 17, 802. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 June 1984. p. 12. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia. W. L. Hoffmann at odds with adjudicator
  42. "Fine Week for Music of Youth". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 18, 193. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 22 July 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  43. "Shell Aria Very Even Contest". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 534. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 30 June 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  44. "28 Canberra people in Birthday Honours". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 18, 151. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 June 1985. p. 9. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
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