Extra judges added to NZ Aria to fill demand

Rotorua's Christian Thurston performing at the New Zealand Aria in 2012. Photo / File

Entries to Rotorua's world class opera song contest - the New Zealand Aria - are up by 50 per cent on previous years.

Momentum is gathering for the Waiariki Institute of Technology New Zealand Aria finals to be held at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre, formerly the Rotorua Convention Centre, on November 2.

Unprecedented response to the under-21 singing categories has forced organisers to add two more judges to the panel of four after entries closed in late August.

Australian guest judges Merlyn Quaife and John Bolton Wood will officiate in the Open section. In the under-21 section, the judges are Gina Sander and Glenese Blake, with Ngairo Heretaunga and Mere Boynton as New Zealand Maori Song judges.

Timua Te Kowhai will judge the under-21 Maori Song classes, and the New Zealand Maori under-16 and under-18 sections.

Hamish McKeich is guest conductor, with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, for finals night.

The song contest began in 1946 and was for many years known as the Lockwood Song Quest.

Rotorua baritone Christian Thurston has returned for his second year in the Open section.

Mr Thurston recently won the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria in Wellington, and was third in the Lexus Song Quest.

The Aria is regarded as one of the best song contests in Australasia and previous winners have gone on to forge international opera careers.