Some of New Zealand's best young singers will put on the performance of their fledgling careers in Dunedin this week.
The 2013 Dunedin Performing Arts Competitions Society senior vocal festival starts tomorrow in Burns Hall, at First Church.
The competition will culminate in the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria Contest, previously the Otago Daily Times Aria, at the Glenroy Auditorium on Sunday.
The competitions society was established to give young performers an opportunity to show their talents and gain performance experience and it holds senior and junior tap dancing, ballet, vocal and instrumental competitions during the year.
''This is where performers experience their starts,'' president and aria compere Judy Bellingham said this week.
The competition starts at 1.30pm tomorrow at Burns Hall. The music categories include 17th or 18th century aria, national song, music theatre, English art song and lieder.
The adjudicator is New Zealand bass Martin Snell and the guest artist is Samoan tenor Pene Pati.
The first prize is the Celebration of the Century Cup and the $5000 Dame Malvina Major Foundation award, second prize is the $2000 Royal Dunedin Male Choir award and the Chambers Family Trophy and third prize is the $1000 Val Braumann award.
The inaugural Queen Rose Retirement Home $250 prize for the most promising singer will also be made this year.
