Sidra Nissen has been named the winner of the 2025 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition after the finals performance on 25 September at Chatswood’s The Concourse. For her performance of Mozart’s Smanie implacabili from Così fan tutte and Ravel’s Kaddish, the 23-year-old Victorian mezzo-soprano takes home the prestigious Marianne Mathy Scholarship, which grants $30,000 towards study or singing activities. She also earns an audition opportunity for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professional development program, the Lili Ussher Prize (a painted portrait of herself), a folio of photographic prints, a taped interview to be retained by the National Library of Australia, and the Mathy Limited Edition Drago Marin Cherina Statuette. Nissen has also been additionally awarded the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute Montreal Scholarship, which grants $4,000 to assist with travel expenses to participate in the institute’s Summer Program. This year, Nissen joined Opera Scholars Australia as a Graduate Scholar. She began her performing career with the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble and studied at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and the University of Melbourne. She made her professional debut in the ensemble for Victorian Opera’s Il Mago di Oz and went on to perform in its 2023 production of Cheremushki.  She was … Continue reading Sidra Nissen wins 2025 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition