# 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 to 1986, named for and sponsored by, Shell Australia in conjunction with the Australian National Eisteddfod Society (founded 1938).
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. 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 then $4,000 in 1976. and from 1982 the winner could substitute a six-month contract with the Australian Opera for overseas travel depending on voice type. 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.

## Prizewinners

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