An Evening with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Saturday 24 May 2014
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An Evening
with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Saturday 24 May 2014,
7:30pm
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre
Tickets on sale via
Ticketmaster
on Wednesday 27
November
Acclaimed international soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa celebrates the elegance of the Classical and Romantic eras with a very special recital at Auckland’s premier venue, the ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, on Saturday 24 May.
Experience the lyrical beauty and sublime artistry of one of the world’s great and beloved voices, as Dame Kiri -- accompanied by renowned New Zealand pianist Terence Dennis -- performs personal favourites from Mozart, Handel, Liszt, Puccini, Gusatavino and Canteloube.
Dame Kiri’s
vocal beauty, natural serenity, versatility, presence and
personality have captivated audiences in leading concert
halls throughout the world including The Metropolitan,
Vienna State, Sydney Opera House, La Scala, Covent Garden
and the Chicago Lyric Opera.
“I was delighted to be
invited to perform in recital at the ASB Theatre, Aotea
Centre,” says Dame Kiri. “Over the years I have
performed many times in Auckland in opera and various
concerts but this will be my first recital in my home town.
I hope those who attend will enjoy the musical experience.
The songs I have selected are all personal favourites. It is
always a pleasure to share my music.”
A Sydney critic
recently described Kiri as having a “truly unique and
beautiful instrument. It is a joy to see such a gracious and
dignified artist perform live.”
Terence Dennis is
widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s finest musicians,
and has an international reputation as a highly-sought
accompanist. His performances throughout New Zealand and
overseas have received high acclaim.
Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster on Wednesday, 27 November. They will be strictly limited and are expected to sell quickly.
“Combine the voice with a deep musical intelligence... add an adventurous choice of repertoire and a generous stage presence and you end up with a recital that nears perfection.” SYDNEY
MORNING HERALD APRIL 2012
Celebrating a stellar career
on stage
Approaching her
70th birthday and
“feeling like a 15 year old”, Dame Kiri has had many
career highlights including most recently playing Dame
Nellie Melba in Downton Abbey. Here’s a snapshot of her
fabulous life on the stage:
• Had New
Zealand's first gold disc, with a popular operatic aria.
• Was 2nd to Dame Malvina Major in the Mobil Song
Quest in 1963, and won it in 1965.
• Won the
Melbourne Sun-Aria in 1965, and was awarded an Arts Council
of Great Britain bursary to study at the London Opera
Centre.
• Made her US debut at Santa Fe Opera with
her performance as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro in
summer 1971, and became internationally famous at the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden in London after singing the role
on 1 December 1971.
• In 1977 she appeared at the
Royal Opera House in a German/English production of Die
Fledermaus. The New Year's Eve performance, conducted by
Zubin Mehta, was recorded for television with the cast was
virtually duplicated on the later DVD release. The
performance was broadcast on TV in the US on New Year's Eve
1979.
• Sang at the San Francisco Opera, the
Metropolitan Opera in New York and La Scala in Milan, Italy.
• In 1981 sang at the wedding of Prince Charles and
Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral, London.
•
She won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 1984, for
Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro". It was produced by
Christopher Raeburn and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
was conducted by Georg Solti. Also featuring were Thomas
Allen, Kurt Moll, Lucia Popp, Samuel Ramey andFrederica von
Stade.
• Created Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1982, and
returned to New Zealand to sing several times, including the
New Year millennium concert atGisborne in January 2000.
• In 1984, made a special recording of West Side
Story in the leading role of Maria with José Carreras as
Tony, and conducted by Leonard Bernstein.
• In 1986,
again partnered José Carreras in the recording of the
musical South Pacific.
• In 1994 celebrated her 50th
birthday, culminating in a spectacular Birthday Concert at
the Royal Albert Hall, London. Long awaited return to the
Metropolitan Opera as Arabella.
• November 1999,
released a new album, Maori Songs.
• Sang in her last
opera, Vanessa, in 2004, but continues with recitals and
concerts and organising the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, to
help young music students.
• On 15 March 2006, Te
Kanawa played a role in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She
sang a medley of "Happy Birthday" to Queen Elizabeth II, in
recognition of her upcoming birthday, and "God Save the
Queen".
• 2 December 2007, sang to the Queen and the
Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Variety Performance. Her
performance included leading the National Anthem, God Save
the Queen
• 28 June 2008, she sang Summertime in duet
with Portuguese fado singer star Mariza, at Casino Estoril.
• 19 June 2009, inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall
of Fame, performing solo works, and duets with Frederica von
Stade and Josh Groban to a crowd of 18,000
• 6
February 2010, returned to the Metropolitan Opera as the
Duchess of Krakenthorp in La Fille du Régiment - typically
a non-singing character part, but an art song by Argentine
composer Alberto Ginastera was interpolated into the
production for her to sing.
• April 2010, returned to
the Cologne Opera House in Germany for two final
performances of the Marschallin in Rosenkavalier.
•
2013, she appeared in Downton Abbey playing Dame Nellie
Melba, an Australian operatic soprano.
• Nov 17, 2013
– Released her second Maori album
‘Waiata’.
ENDS