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Rules & Criteria

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Update as of 6 September - due to the continuing Sydney Covid-19 outbreak the 2021 competition will be held Online. 

You can now apply online using the above APPLY ONLINE button.
Please ensure you read all the rules under Rules and Criteria. 

The Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award is to promote the bel canto style of singing. Established in 2011, the competition has been open to Australian and New Zealand singers since 2011.

To date $1,201,736 in scholarships and prizes has been awarded.

Previous judges throughout the competition have included Richard Bonynge,
Simone Young, Dame Anne Evans, Christa Ludwig, Ruth Falcon, Dame Ann Murray, James Morris, Deborah Polaski, Jane Eaglen, Bernadette Cullen, Glenn Winslade, Marilyn Richardson, Nance Grant, Brenda Hurley, Lisa Gasteen, Patricia Price, Margaret Russell, Anson Austin, John Pringle, Jennifer McGregor, Michael Lewis, Ghillian Sullivan and Fiona Janes.

Bel Canto Video Gallery

2021 Proposed Competition - new Criteria

Open to all Australian professional and non-professional opera singers of all voice types aged 20-30years as of 1 October.

Three contrasting operatic aria links are required.  One aria must be in Italian.

Entrants must perform arias in their original language and key.

Arias should be no longer than 8.30 mins in length.

Prizes for 2021 - a minimum of $50,000 will be on offer
Up to ten prizes are available ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 including the $5,000 John Wegner Award (donated by Mignon Wegner)

Previous 1st Prize winners of the JSRB Bel Canto Award are not eligible to enter the competition. Grant recipients may enter the competition.

Winners