About..
Leah Bell is an Australian soprano currently completing her Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she also recently completed her Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Voice). She studies with renowned singing teacher Maree Ryan AM.
During her studies, Leah has been recognised with numerous scholarships, including the Kevin and Margaret Duffy Scholarship, Bud Brown Memorial Award, PATIM Music Fund Award, Patricia Long Music Scholarship, Greenburg–Gurney Jenson Fund Award, and the Peter Davidson Music Scholarship. Prior to commencing tertiary studies, she received ENCORE nominations for both Music 2 and Music Extension and was awarded the Zonta International Women’s Day Award for Performing Arts in recognition of her musical excellence.
Leah’s recent performance highlights reflect her growing reputation as a dynamic and expressive performer. She has appeared in the Sydney Opera Society Aria Concert, SCM Opera Scenes Concert, SCM Lunchbreak Concert Series, Art Song Concert, Con Lieder Series, Opera’s Heroes and Villains, Croydon Crescendo Concert Series, and Liederfest. She has also featured in ensemble performances such as the Whitacre and Hindson Wind Symphony concert and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.
Her recent operatic roles include Morphée in Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers (NIDA/Sydney Conservatorium, 2025), performances in Don Giovanni with Concordia Ensemble, and Mrs Waa in Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO’s all-Australian opera Parrwang Lifts the Sky.
In addition to opera, Leah has experience in musical theatre, performing dual roles (Mrs Hatch and Violet) in the stage adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life, taking on Snow White, the titular role of the original musical Take a Bite, and appearing in the delightfully zany Little Shop of Horrors.
Passionate about making classical music more accessible to younger audiences, Leah recently co-developed and performed in Storia Di Melodie—a touring schools program designed to bring opera to life in a playful and engaging way. The project was met with enthusiastic praise from educators and parents for its creativity, inclusiveness, and educational value.
eah continues to develop her craft through masterclasses with leading musicians and coaches, including Dr Francis Greep, Yvonne Kenny AM, Catriona Morrison, Professor Michael Halliwell, Brian Castles-Onion, Stephen Layton, and Graham Johnson OBE. These experiences have been instrumental in shaping her vocal technique, musical interpretation, and artistic identity.
Click Here to view her short version CV.
early beginnings…
Leah grew up on the east coast of New South Wales, surrounded by the natural beauty of Australia’s oceans and forests. 
Her childhood was shaped by a spirit of adventure, inspired by her parents’ love of exploration and scuba diving. Yet within these wild and expansive landscapes, she discovered a different kind of calling—one rooted in storytelling, music, and the performing arts.
A dedicated performer from a young age, Leah participated in local plays, musicals, concerts, and eisteddfods. She began piano lessons and dance at the age of five, added classical singing at eleven, and by thirteen had expanded her training to include guitar and drama. Beyond music, she pursued horse riding, reading, writing, visual art, and explored her fascination with ancient history, developing a broad and curious imagination that continues to inspire her artistry. These early experiences ignited a deep and lasting passion for artistic expression, laying the foundation for her journey into opera.
Following the completion of her Master of Music (Opera Performance), Leah plans to pursue further study overseas as she continues to develop her craft and work toward a professional operatic career.
