Australasia's largest classical singing competition - the Waiariki Institute of Technology New Zealand Aria - is back in Rotorua this year.
People of all ages - from 5 to 95 - have entered the competition and it is one of the few times an emerging classical performer will have the opportunity to perform with a full orchestra.
New Zealand Aria Trust chairwoman Jo-Anne La Grouw said it was an opportunity for Rotorua to hear the best up-and-coming classical singers in Australasia.
"Come and hear the best upcoming opera singers from Australasia, maybe the next Dame Kiri Te Kanawa or Dame Malvina Major - they will be of that quality.
"In fact, Kiri and Malvina entered the Rotorua competition in their younger days - it was their starting point. We're not just a little local singing competition."
Mrs La Grouw said having a full orchestra "lifted" the performances of the singers.
"The singers are accompanied by a full orchestra, it's prestigious to have that in Rotorua. Quite often it's the first time they've been accompanied by one instead of just a piano - it just lifts their performance."
One of the locals to watch out for will be Christian Thurston, a Performing Arts Competition Association of New Zealand winner in 2009.
Mrs La Grouw said the aria competition had been going for 66 years. "We've had the orchestra involved for the last 20 years which is a huge financial commitment for us - they're professional players so we've got to pay them a professional fee."
She said the show wouldn't continue without the naming right sponsors, Waiariki Institute of Technology, which has been in the role for the last three years.
Great prizes were also up for grabs, with a prize pack worth $15,000 going to the top aria singer and a $3000 prize for the top Maori song, among others.
Mrs La Grouw said the event usually sold out for the Sunday evening final, but people could also go to the day classes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a gold coin donation.
Aria judges are Australian opera singers Joan Carden and Geoffrey Chard; Stephen Mould will conduct on finals night.
The Waiariki Institute of Technology New Zealand Aria 2012 will be at the Rotorua Convention Centre. Classes run tomorrow from 12pm until 10pm, Saturday from 8.30am until 9pm and Sunday from 9am until 5pm. The finals run from 7.30pm until 10pm on Sunday.
Finals tickets cost $55 for adults, $40 for senior citizens, $10 for NZ Aria members and supper tickets (not including entry into finals evening) are $20.