Dunedin opera singers had their shot at becoming the next Anna Leese or Jonathan Lemalu this week when they auditioned for the Lexus Song Quest.
Six singers performed three-piece programmes from operatic arias to oratorios in the Otago Museum's Hutton Theatre in front of preliminary international judges Patricia Price and Graham Pushee.
Tenor Matthew Wilson said after the audition the event was the biggest singing competition in New Zealand.
Nationally, it has helped the careers of singers likes Kiri Te Kanawa and Malvina Major, who both won the competition, formerly the Mobil Song Quest, in the 1960s.
Ten semifinalists would be chosen to compete in Wellington from 47 entrants nationwide.
The top four finalists would then compete in the grand final in the Auckland Town Hall on July 23.
