Make a wish, Dame Kiri. Photo: SUPPLIED
There's been a lot of fuss about the 80th birthday of New Zealand's greatest musical export, and rightly so.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa made it to the pinnacle of one of the toughest working environments on the planet: the opera house.
The soprano, who now lives in Northland, spoke with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump about (among other things) her approach to Mozart and to life, the demands of caring for an instrument "that you can never put in a case" and what she gave up to care for it, her foundation for young singers, and getting a new driver's licence.
And during the interview you'll hear recordings of Dame Kiri singing music by Strauss, Mozart, Handel, and her version of the waiata Pōkarekare Ana.
It all begins with Dame Kiri answering a question about her first memories of music making.
Music details:
Strauss, Richard: Aber der Richtige, from Arabella (excerpt) - Kiri Te Kanawa (sop), Gabriele Fontana (sop), Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Orch/Jeffrey Tate (Decca 417 623)
Tomoana, Paraire: Pokarekare ana – Kiri Te Kanawa (sop) (Kiwi CD KML 1)
Strauss, Richard: Seitdem dein Aug' in meines schaute Op 171 (excerpt) – Kiri Te Kanawa (sop), Georg Solti (pno) (Decca 430 511)
Handel, George Frideric: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, from Messiah (excerpt) - Kiri Te Kanawa (sop), Chicago SO/Georg Solti (Decca 417 645)
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Exsultate, jubilate K165 (excerpt) – Kiri Te Kanawa (sop), New Zealand SO/John Hopkins (Kiwi CD KML 2)
