Northcote star wins Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship final

It’s an exclusive London school that’s alumni includes “the fifth Beatle” and 007 star Daniel Craig. Now, after taking out a prestigious national singing competition, a rising opera star from Melbourne’s north has received a golden ticket to join its ranks.

Cleo Lee-McGowan won the Sydney Eisteddfod 2019 Opera Scholarship Final.

Northcote performer Cleo Lee-McGowan has continued her operatic rise after taking out the Sydney Eisteddfod opera scholarship final.

Next month the young star will head to the prestigious performing arts school responsible for The Beatles producer Sir George Martin and 007 Daniel Craig.

Cleo won a $43,000 tuition scholarship.

On Sunday, (August 4) the 24-year-old battled through a chest infection to perform Ach, ich fühl from Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Comme autrefois from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers.

Judge Cheryl Barker AO praised Cleo’s technique and “incredible emotion” during her performances.

Cleo said delivering an emotional importance was more important than ever given opera’s in competition with other entertainment such as TV and movies.

The top prize was a $43,000 scholarship for tuition in the arts.

Cleo said the money would likely fund her second year at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she will complete a Masters of Performance.

The London school has a range of talented alumni including Orlando Bloom and Ewan McGregor.

Her first year of tuition is taken care of after Cleo won the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Award at the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition last year.

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“I personally want to make a career out of this,” she said.

“It’s very exciting, going to a very fantastic prestigious school that is internationally recognisable.”

@richardapearce