Opera singers from across the west are competing for a shot at the $50,000 prize.
One competitor says it's all about the story behind the song.
"That's the greatest thrill...to leave Greta behind and inhabit another person for seven, eight, nine minutes; it's really an amazing thrill," contestant Greta Finney-Samuels said.
Previous winners have gone on to receive contracts at the Met and other opera houses around the world.
