Shell Aria contest

{{For| contests organised by ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) |ARIA Music Awards}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2023}}

The Shell Aria, originally Shell Open Aria, contest was an Australian vocal competition for young classical opera singers, held annually in Canberra from 1955{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2918586 |title=Ambitious Programme For Eisteddfod |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=29 |issue=8,366 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=26 October 1954 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} to 1986, named for and sponsored by, Shell Australia in conjunction with the Australian National Eisteddfod Society (founded 1938).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118125537 |title=Money worries strike a sour note |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,520 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=16 June 1986 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110323038 |title=Letters to the Editor |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=44 |issue=12,630 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=25 May 1970 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} 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{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131685210 |title=Aria value raised |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=44 |issue=12,535 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=3 February 1970 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}} then $4,000 in 1976.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110798201 |title=Shell Aria award |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=50 |issue=14,280 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=21 January 1976 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}} and from 1982 the winner could substitute a six-month contract with the Australian Opera for overseas travel depending on voice type.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126893291 |title=Eisteddfod choice |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=56 |issue=17,020 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=4 May 1982 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116381769 |title=Shell Aria "now truly national" |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=57 |issue=17,379 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=29 April 1983 |access-date=23 September 2023 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}