Bala singer's long-haul bid for Eisteddfod success

AN aspiring opera singer travelled from Australia to take part in one of the National Eisteddfod's most prestigious competitions.

Heulen Cynfal, from Parc near Bala was one of four finalists who competed for the W Towyn Roberts Scholarship at the 2026 festival being staged this week at Llantwd near Cardigan.

She is currently an emerging artist at the Melbourne Opera having first visited Australia after winning the Blue Ribband competition at the 2023 National Eistedd in Llyn and Eifionydd.

After presenting a 15-minute programme which included one song by a Welsh composer from the twentieth century Heulen said: "It would mean the world to me to win this scholarship. It would be another step towards my goal of building a career as a classical singer.

"To support my singing I've been working as a teacher in a primary school and have also worked as a nurse in a GP practice," she said.

Heulen is a trained classical singer from the Royal Academy of Music, London and is also a harpist which she combines with singing.

The four competitors who sang on the Pavilion stage had already battled through two qualifying rounds.

The competition was won by soprano Alaw Grug Evans from Carmarthenshire.

A graduate of Queen's College, Oxford she is currently building her career as an opera singer.

A previous winner at the National Eisteddfod she was invested into Gorsedd Cymru in 2023 for her outstanding contribution to arts and culture.

Rhys David Thomas from Rhymney, Cardiff started singing just a year ago.

"I love singing and winning this competition would allow me to study more and then possibly go onto college and carry on singing."

The adjudicators placed the 32-year-old in third place.

The W Towyn Roberts Scholarship was established in 1982 by William Towyn Roberts in memory of his wife, Violet Jones.

The £5,000 prize - £3,000 from the Scholarship and £2,000 from the William Park-Jones Scholarship) aims to support promising soloists pursuing classical vocal training.

The National Eisteddfod will consider offering performance opportunities to the winner of the scholarship at a future festival.