Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC (pronounced /ˈkɪri tɨˈkɑːnəwə/; born 6 March 1944, Gisborne, New Zealand) is a New Zealand coloratura soprano who had a highly successful international opera career between 1968–2004. Possessing a warm full lyric soprano voice, Te Kanawa sang a wide repertoire that encompassed works from the 17th to the 20th century in Italian, French, German, Russian, and English. She particularly excelled in the works o...
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Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC (pronounced /ˈkɪri tɨˈkɑːnəwə/; born 6 March 1944, Gisborne, New Zealand) is a New Zealand coloratura soprano who had a highly successful international opera career between 1968–2004. Possessing a warm full lyric soprano voice, Te Kanawa sang a wide repertoire that encompassed works from the 17th to the 20th century in Italian, French, German, Russian, and English. She particularly excelled in the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Richard Strauss, Giuseppe Verdi, George Frideric Handel and Giacomo Puccini.
Te Kanawa's voice has a vibrant but mellow quality that is ample in size without being overly heavy or forced. Although music critics have consistently praised the freshness and warmth of her voice, she has been at times criticised for her interpretations; with some critics feeling her performances lack vibrance, animation, and original expression. Nevertheless, the sheer beauty of Te Kanawa's voice made her one of the leading operatic...
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