Matthew Onigman Brings Puccini to Morristown's Got Talent

Sometimes life, adulthood, a move to New Jersey and building a new house, can get in the way. 

That's why 33-year-old Matthew Onigman decided to stretch out his vocal chords once more, and finally try out for Morristown's Got Talent this year. 

Good thing, as he has been selected as one of the 16 acts that will be . Onigman, originally from upstate New York, will sing Giacomo Puccini's "Nessun Dorma," or "None Shall Sleep."

The married Morris Township father of two has since moving to the area five years ago been working on building a house, one of several of those "life things" that got in the way of something the singer said "has always been in my life.

"I've been singing since an early age, I'm not even sure when my first public performance was," he said. "I was very young."

As such, Onigman knew he needed something to kickstart him back into vocal performance. "I had seen Morristown's Got Talent in the news and online," he said. "I've known about it, I just decided this year was a good year to try it out."

Onigman said being selected to participate, and the subsequent build-up, has been pretty exciting.

"I thought I would be vocally out of shape," he said. "[That I was selected] is a sort of affirmation."

The singer called opera arias "probably the most showy. I've studied music in all genres. But, this has kind of its own unique set of challenges–breath control, physical challenges."

Asked whether he was up to the challenge of performing before a packed Community Theatre audience filled with his neighbors, Onigman said he believed he was, especially since his family will be there to support him. That includes wife Shana, who also is a singer. 

"She definitely has always been supportive of any endeavors of mine," he said. 

As for the potential $1,000 top prize if he wins? That's easy. "It'll probably go to pay back some of those loans on the house," Onigman said. 

 will be held Feb. 29 at the . For more information, check out our MGT 2012 guide.