SIDRA NISSEN

Sidra Nissen, Winner of The Marianne Mathy Scholarship

We congratulate Sidra Nissen, winner of the 2025 Marianne Mathy Scholarship
('The Mathy’).

Sidra received:
MARIANNE MATHY SCHOLARSHIP ('THE MATHY'), $30,000 to assist with a programme of study and/or singing activity.

Audition Prize from Lyric Opera of Chicago's Ryan Opera Center, an opportunity to audition for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professional-artist development program, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.

Lili Ussher Portrait Prize, a painting of the winner in concert dress.

WinkiPoP Media Prize, a folio of three different 8x12inch
photographic prints.

Oral History Award, a taped interview by oral historian Diana Ritch that will be retained within the Oral History Collection of the
National Library of Australia.

And The Mathy, a limited-edition Drago Marin Cherina sculpture presented by Music & Opera Singers Trust Ltd (MOST®)

As well as the Marianne Mathy Scholarship and the suite of accompanying prizes listed above, Sidra also won the

Canadian Vocal Arts Institute (CVAI) Montreal Scholarship,
an opportunity to participate in the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute (CVAI) Summer Program in Montréal. Sponsored by CVAI, Montréal. As part of the CVAI Scholarship, Sidra will also receive AUD $4,000 to assist with travel expenses.

Sidra performed Smanie implacabili from Mozart's "Così fan tutte" and Kaddish from "Deux mélodies hébraïques" by Ravel.

Congratulations to Our Other Finalists

The Adjudication Panel comprising Jeffrey Black (National Adjudicator), Joanne Goodman, Dr. Francis Greep, Kate Johnson, and Dr. Simon Lobelson also awarded the following prizes and opportunities:

SOPHIE BLADES

Merenda Legacy Prize
Cash grant of $7,000 to enable the recipient to study the Italian language in Italy. Sponsored by Equity Trustrees, and the Estate of the late Francis Merenda
The Linnhe Robertson Prize
10 one-hour private lessons with acclaimed voice teacher Linnhe Robertson in London, England. Sponsored by Linnhe Robertson.
- Nell Pascall Award ($3,000) to assist with travel expenses.
Sponsored by the Nell Pascall Estate
The MOST® Audience Prize
Cash grant AUD $500 from Music & Opera Singers Trust Ltd. (MOST®) awarded by audience vote. Sponsored by Euroespresso.

BRITTNEY NORTHCOTT

Zeny Edwards Education Grant
AUD $20,000 grant towards tuition fees for a music degree at a University or Conservatorium. Sponsored by Dr. Zeny Edwards OAM.
Royal Northern College of Music Award
Fees for one year’s study at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma Course in Manchester (UK) in 2026/2027.
Sponsored by Royal Northern College of Music, UK.
- Pasqualina Lipari Prize ($2,500) to assist with travel expenses. Sponsored by V&A Accountants and Business Advisors.

AIDAN HODDER

Perth Symphony Orchestra Prize
$3,000 to assist with travel expenses. Sponsored by the Nell Pascall Estate.
- He will also receive AUD $5,000 to assist with
travel expenses.
- $1,000 to support the professional A/V recording of the PSO performance.

WESLEY HAOTIAN YU

The Sherman Lowe Study Prize
10 one-hour private lessons with acclaimed voice teacher and vocal pedagogue, Sherman Lowe, in Treviso, Italy. Sponsored by Sherman Lowe.
- Merenda Travel Prize ($3,000)
to assist with travel expenses. Sponsored by the Estate of the Later Francis Merenda.

Each Finalist received two bottles of Huntington Estate Wine, the Opera Australia Prize, and the Opera Australia Finalist Audition Prize (for the OA Young Artist Program).

Learn more about Prizes & Opportunities

Coming Soon to YouTube

(L to R) Sophie Blades, Brittney Northcott, Wesley Haotian Yu, Aidan Hodder, Sidra Nissen, and National Adjudicator Jeffrey Black who also received a Mathy statuette for his 1983 win of the marine Mathy Scholarship.

Maestra Natalie Murray Beale and the Opera Australia Orchestra accompanied the Finalists with thrilling performances of
Mozart's Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! (Die Zauberflöte)
Mozart's Quanti mi siete intorno… Padre, germani, addio! (Idomeneo)
Mozart's Vani sono i lamenti... Svegliatevi nel core (Giulio Cesare in Egitto)
Mozart's Smanie implacabili (Così fan tutte)
Mozart's Se all’impero, amici Dei (La clemenza di Tito)
Gounod's Depuis hier...Que fais-tu blanche tourterelle? (Romeo et Juliette)
Donizetti's Prendi, per me sei libero (L’elisir d’amore)
Wagner's O, du mein holder Abendstern (Tannhäuser)
Ravel's Kaddish (Deux mélodies hébraïques)
Cilea's È la solita storia del pastore (L’Arlésienne)

The Opera Australia Orchestra opened the second half of the
concert with the Overture from Il barbiere di Siviglia,
and Carmen Suite No. 1

Don't miss these memorable performances hosted by our compère Nina Korbe when they go live on our channel MOST Gives More

2025 Finals Programme Available Online

To find out more about the Orchestra, the Adjudicators, our Compere, and this year's Prizes & Opportunities, view a pdf of the programme here >

The IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition is proudly supported by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture, and the Music & Opera Singers Trust Ltd. (MOST).