Students stretch their vocal cords under the tutorship of Geoff Sewell

Emilio Mancia performs at the "Classics In The Village" event as part of the New Zealand Singing School. Photo / Paul Taylor

More than 100 singing students and teaching faculty are now fully immersed in this year's
New Zealand Singing School.

Held at the Eastern Institute of Technology, the 10-day school has 75 classical and musical theatre students, who are being taught by a faculty of national and international acclaim, from New Zealand, Australia and Europe.

Amici Forever founder and "popera" star Geoff Sewell is the artist-in-residence for the 2019 school.

New Zealand Singing School Trust chairwoman Helen Walker said he performed at the school's opening ceremony to the "great delight" of the students.

Sewell will appear at the Singing School's public performances this week, including at the Showcase at the Tabard on Saturday and the Singing School's Gala Performance on Monday, January 14, at the Municipal Theatre.

Yesterday, the school held "Classics In the Village" at the Havelock North Function Centre where about 20 mainstream classical students performed.

The school was founded in 1983 and is now held biennially.

Walker said its point of difference was in the fact that it was a "cross-over school".

"It means that we tutor students in both musical theatre and classical genres."