Christian Thurston's no one-trick pony, nor is he one of those archetypical opera types who allow themselves to run to flab.
He works out regularly "but not on my abs, opera singers have to be soft in that region", plays golf and social cricket.
He was in John Paul College's 1st 1V and 1st X1, and the Bay of Plenty Under 17s and Under 19s X1s. "I've played cricket since I was old enough to hold a bat."
But it's his musical career and the years leading up to it that Our People has come to dissect.
Music's been embedded in Christian Thurston's psyche, seemingly since birth.
His first musical theatre role was as a 4-year-old, in the late Robert Young-directed Oliver! Unsurprisingly for a family as musically and theatre oriented as the Thurstons, his oldest brother Oliver played the title role - and thereby hangs a tale he'll never be allowed to forget.
"In the first show I went up to him, tugged on his coat and asked him what our phone number was, I wanted to give it to a boy I'd made friends with, he wasn't impressed."
On reflection, Christian suspects it was the prospect of receiving a cold sausage that enticed him into the show, rather more than the chance to sing on stage.
Over the following years he played increasingly demanding roles in musical theatre and John Paul College productions.
His Gavroche, the street urchin turned revolutionary in Les Miserables was a show stopper, however playing the title role in Jekyll and Hyde was his watershed year, confirming the musical stage was to become his career path.
He's anxious we debunk suggestions that his parents have pushed him into it. His mother, Gabrielle, is JPC's head of drama.
"Mum and dad [Lyall] have always been encouraging but are wise enough to let their kids make their own choices."
In reality it was musical theatre stalwarts Glenys and the late Graham Searancke who introduced him to 'treading the boards'.
"Robert [Young] became my mentor, he was the most incredible director, I pretty well owe him everything, he gave me the professional attitude I've grown up with."
In 2009 he auditioned for Christchurch-based Nasda (National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art) with Victoria University's New Zealand School of Music "as a back-up". Nasda accepted him but Victoria also liked his voice, however he lacked one essential component - the theory of music.
Rotorua music teacher Claire Mason lifted him over the hurdle. "I did a crash course with her throughout that summer, she was amazing, getting me up to speed so Victoria would take me, they rarely take anyone straight out of school, I'm just so bloody lucky to be from Rotorua which is such a cultural city, that was a huge help."
His studies haven't been without drama - but not of the sort he specialises in.
In 2011 he contracted swine flu, coupled with pneumonia.
"I was in quarantine, couldn't leave my bedroom, Oliver [his brother] would drop around and throw lozenges and Lemsip at me from the doorway, it really knocked me back for a while."
It was during his second varsity year that New Zealand-born tenor Simon O'Neill spotted Christian's potential to tackle opera at international level.
The principal artist at some of the world's leading opera houses, O'Neill gave him a lesson and told him bluntly he was wasting his vocal talents. "I said I wanted to act, he said you still can but you must do something with your voice, start taking opera seriously it's hugely dramatic, he was right and a huge inspiration for me to go forward."
Graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 2013, Christian's devoted this year to working towards a Post Graduate Diploma in Performing Arts, his major assignment 23 songs "which is a hell of a lot to learn and rehearse in German and French".
His first out-of-varsity opera appearance was in Verdi's Il Corsar at the Wellington Opera House.
"I played the bad guy, Pasha Seid, and have had other small roles here and there."
Early next year he'll be touring with Opera NZ, including performing in Christchurch's newly-restored Theatre Royal.
Then it's off to New York for auditions with three of the US's most prestigious music "nurseries": the Juilliard Academy, the Manhattan School of Music and Philadelphia's Curtis Institute.
"Simon [O'Neill] encouraged me to apply, he says with my high baritone I can do the 'money notes', the type people will pay $300 a seat to hear, and that's why America will like me."
He also plans a shot at Covent Garden's young artists' programme.
