Singers are vying for one of the oldest opera trophies in New Zealand this week.
The Otago Daily Times Aria is regarded as a springboard to a professional opera career.
"It's the longest-running singing competition in the country," president Judy Bellingham said on Tuesday.
"There are so many luminaries who have won it: people like Jonathan Lemalu, Anna Leese, Robert Tucker, Stephen Chambers and Claire Barton.
"They're all now singing internationally.
"It's a huge stepping-stone for a young singer. It's second only to the Lexus Song Quest."
The aria is the finale of the Dunedin Performing Arts Competitions Society senior vocal festival, which starts at Burns Hall today.
Six singers will be selected for the aria final on Sunday at the Kings and Queens Performing Arts Centre.
Contestants include tenor Alex Wilson, third in the Lexus event last month, and fellow Lexus finalist, soprano Grace Park.
"It's going to be a very good aria competition. The standard of entries is very high," Miss Bellingham said.
The adjudicator is Royal Scottish National Opera chorus director and Royal College of Music fellow Timothy Dean.
The aria has been held annually in Dunedin since 1987.
The contestants are Joel Amosa, Simon Anderson, Victoria Bernard, Louise Clarke, Christie Cook, Judy Fakaosi, Ingrid Fomison-Nurse, Clinton Fung, Beth Goulstone, Georgia Gray, Helene Holman, Ben Kidd, Hannah King, Ben Madden, Victoria Martin, Sophie Morris, Julia Moss-Pearson, Grace Park, Theresa Parker, Bernice Potter, Elizabeth Simpson, Sophie Sparrow, Nicholas Steel, Emily Sutton, Anna Thomson, Julien Van Mellaerts, Maia Vegar, Peter Wigglesworth, Alex Wilson, Angela Woodward and Teresa Wojcik.
