Eight young emerging operatic stars will be competing on Sunday 4 August at The Concourse, Chatswood, to win Sydney Eisteddfod’s coveted Opera Scholarship worth in excess of $61,000.
This year, for the first time since 1995, an all-girl final has been announced.
With a history going back to 1933, this scholarship has been a launching pad for many international careers such as The Late Dame Joan Sutherland, Amelia Farrugia, Heather Begg, & Stacey Alleaume. The winner is given the opportunity to study overseas to hone their craft
Since winning the Opera Scholarship in 1994, Amelia Farrugia has had a wonderfully successful international career on the Opera stage. Amelia continues to support Sydney Eisteddfod as an ambassador and states: “The Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship provides invaluable and precious opportunities to young singers. The operatic world is highly competitive as there are so few opportunities for Aussie artists. Young singers need to study overseas to be able to compete at an international level and to learn foreign languages such as Italian, French and German.”
As a scholarship winner, Amelia knows how important the Sydney Eisteddfod scholarship is for an operatic career and she wishes the 8 Finalists every success.
The 2019 Finalists are: Olivia Cranwell (Ashfield), Michelle Ryan (Bondi), Kirsten Jones (Towradgi), Panayiota Kalatzis (Sydney), Anna Stephens (Ashfield), Juliette Di Bello (Sydney), Cleo Lee, McGowan (Northcote, VIC), Bronwyn Douglass (Botany).
Two lucky Finalists will be invited to compete in the ‘2019 Fine Music Young Virtuoso Award’ state final on Sunday 13 October at The Founders Studio, Fine Music 102.5 from 3pm-5pm. One of the finalists may also be offered professional engagements with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.
Finalist and first time Sydney Eisteddfod participant Kirsten Jones, says to those thinking of participating and attending the Opera Finals alike, “The Eisteddfod experience is more than just walking on stage and singing for 5 minutes. You meet new people, you hear beautiful voices, you discover new repertoire and most of all you can be immersed in the beauty of classical music.”
Each finalist will perform 2 arias, on their way towards winning the individual prize of $43,000.
Second place takes $10,000 and third, $5,000. Each of the finalists excluding place getters, will receive $1,000.
When: Sunday 4 August 2019 from 2.30pm
Where: The Concourse, Chatswood
Cost: Adult $47; Concession $39 (+bf)
Sponsored by The John Lamble Foundation, Sydney Savage Club, Douglas Sutherland AM, Michael Taylor & The Estate of the Late Mr Leslie Andrew
For more information, visit http://sydneyeisteddfod.com.au
Featured image- The 2019 Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship finalists (from left to right), Bronwyn Douglass, Michelle Ryan, Olivia Cranwell, Anna Stephens, Juliette Di Bello, Panayiota Kalatzis, Cleo Lee McGowan, Kirsten Jones, and adjudicators, Cheryl Barker and John Pringle AM