Story: Creative life

Kiri Te Kanawa

Kiri Te Kanawa is possibly the best-known opera singer New Zealand has produced. She left home to study in England in 1965, making her début at Covent Garden in 1971. Since then her career has taken her to the great opera houses of the world.

Using this item

New Zealand Herald

Reference: 25 September 1999

Permission of the New Zealand Herald must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Creative life – New Zealand creativity, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/1797/kiri-te-kanawa (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 3 March 2009.

Comments

Derek JR
17 October 2010

I must say, I was alway proud of Kiri but she comes across snobby especially after her comments about Hayley Westenra. Amazing voice!