Kiri Te Kanawa - 'A Portrait' Interview/Documentary 

Kiri as the 'Countess' in Strauss' 'Capriccio' at the MET was unforgettable. Her lush wonderful voice added magic to every role she undertook, especially Strauss and Mozart. Love Kiri!

I saw her San Francisco Opera debut as the Countess about a year after her Covent Garden debut. I had grown up as a child listening to a recording of Sena Jurinac in the role--which she sang like no other. This spoiled me: For years I was disappointed by the Countess in many otherwise wonderful productions. Then came San Francisco, c.1971. The curtain rose for Act II. There stood this beautiful woman. She opened her mouth, and from the first note of Porgi amor I was in heaven. This voice, like heavy cream, with perfect phrasing . . . one of the great experiences of my life.

Hi from Finland. Never cared for the opera, didn't understand the words or the 'squeeling'. But, once I heard her singing you'll never walk alone. I was like hello!! Never seen her live, but watched Manon Lescaut and The Sorceress from tv. She really is versatile with her range, voice and talent. I have few of her cd's, Kiri sings Porter, Legrand, broadway, two x-mas' and Jazz. Luckily the RU-vid have lots of her music. Opera is no more squeeling to me. It's a whole new world.

In any discussion of the best of all time, her name must come up. For sheer beauty of tone, she can't be beat.

Dame Kiri - what a legend!!! So down to earth and that heavenly lyric soprano voice!! Great documentary 💜

Glorious voice.... Her Strauss and Mozart, unparalleled brilliance

At the end I was waiting for Lucy Honeychurch to open the shutters. The first I ever heard Kiri's voice was in A Room With A View, and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever experienced.

i am speechless. breathless. and she is peerless

I love this documentary had it on video when I was young then had it converted to dvd by far one of the most open interviews from Dame Kiri ....love it... love her ..

What a joy to hear her voice...it massages your heart.❤

The early sequences of Kiri’s life in Gisbourne NZ were beautifully shot. I especially was moved by her uncle showing Kiri the grave …was it of her father? And the response of the Marae to their star … “Only so many top notes in the bank balance and don’t give them all away “ - Dame Tina Turner Powerful comment by Tina Turner given Kiri‘s own comment

Kiri sets the benchmark.

The VOICE OF ANGELS!

The work with George Saltillo floating, sound of a flute, naturally beautiful … then some muttering by George in which my aging and unaided ears pick up only New Zealander … Strauss 4 Last Songs….singing them when her mother died then when her father died … so “they’re very much death to me”

With her great beauty and prodigious talent as an actress it's clear that she would have been a great stage and screen legend without ever singing a note. "Her flute legato", it leaves me holding my breath and melting.

her singing gives me shivers of joy

A strong beautiful lady with a God given voice of enthralling beauty.

He story her voice always make me so emotional.

I attended her concert in Hong Kong. I was on the edge of my seat, mesmerized.

Thank you for sharing this, it was wonderful.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this! Thank you for posting this video!

46:15 Does anyone realize just how difficult it is to walk down a flight of steps, wearing a floor length cloud of a dress and NOT looking down once?!!! Oh yes, and by the way, singing in the meantime.... GOAT Kiri te Kanawa

Opera. The huge overwhelming emotional environment for stiff upper lips 👄 everywhere. No wonder she had a huge impact on the youthful Prince Charles, touring NZ with His mother and father and sister. Even in a concert rendition of The Nun’s Chorus …. I was there singing in the chorus behind this already exceptional and outstanding young person. Of course I was moved but this was a performance. As a serious-minded young student still living at home this was probably the musical highlight of my life to date. When else would I ever get to sing in front of Royalty and behind one of the most moving singers I had heard in Dunedin? To grandma 👵 who sang in front of Dame Nellie Melba…. And my late mother… this comment is for you

Wonderful post Thank you. I saw her live in Toronto giving a recital with piano. And she was wonderful~!

I have the LP issue of her recording of Figaro with Popp, Ramey, Allen and Von Stade with the LPO, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Picked it up for $5 at a second hand record store, mint conditions, never played. I was shocked to find the price online at around $90-150! Very lucky buy!

A simply love this artist. That she does Desdemona with Domingo's Otello better than anyone along with Katia is a testament to her voice and artistry. Mil gracias!

Extremely gorgeous voice

You can't help but be amused during the part backstage at "Arabella" where Kiri has to instruct her dresser how to properly apply the glue for the wig.

And to think she sang another 25 years after this. I remember seeing a documentary about Dame Joan Sutherland about this time 1991....soon after she retired. Now I'm watching Dame Kiri shortly after she stopped. I guess one can't go on forever, but Dame Kiri went longer than most and her voice changed very little over the years.

Just...love!

Kiri certainly has a lovely voice and this documentary/interview is very interesting but it is a little sad that she did not mention one of her singing teachers,Florence Norberg who said to her in 1969 that you are a soprano not a mezzo. It was also Florence who gave her a solid technique now a little altered, but it has I believe allowed her voice to be as good as it is at her age now.

he is right. she is never arch. she is a real actress one of the things that makes her peerless is shown in the Arabella sequence. both the man at the bottom of the stairs, and the soprano she's rehearsing with have opera face. they distort their faces horribly in order to sing, and you lose any semblance of acting or storytelling. Kiri is always engaged in the story, her face doesn't do that. like he said, she looks natural. and she's the only one

What am I? What does it all mean? It’s never arch. When Kiri plays it you feel for her as a real woman Two suitors…. A poet and a composer/conductor…. Not sure which but symbolic of music rather than words….. to me a woman of advanced years who never related to Strauss’ music 🎵 despite genuinely trying…. She’s singing to herself And Kiri …. Oh my god… the arrival of the bewigged man and she writes her reply ….. which we hear in Kiri’s own words Spoken to her male interviewer… re her early difficult start and given that…”you have to give it your best shot, you know….”

She's back living in NZ

What is she singing at the start of the documentary? Overlapped with the beautiful vistas of New Zealand

I'M NOT AN OPERA FAN BUT I CHANCED ON SEEING KIRI ONE DAY ON TV AND I WAS MESMERISED BY HER LUSCIOUSNESS AND SEXINESS!!! ASTOUNDING!! I AM IN LOVE WITH HER!!!!!

Was recording of 'West Side Story' so unimportant?

Success exacts a high price.

Give me HUNGARIEN translation... Nem értek csak pár szót. . .

“And suddenly you have to leave it to go to the big smoke and it’s absolutely horrible “ Cappricio .,Late change of conductor What was important was to sing 🎶 , and play the harp off beat. We see a man playing the harp .

“And suddenly you have to leave it to go to the big smoke and it’s absolutely horrible “ Cappricio .,Late change of conductor What was important was to sing 🎶 , and play the harp off beat. We see a man playing the harp .