Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Classical

Top Songs By Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to The Flower Duet by Philharmonia Orchestra, Katherine Jenkins, Anthony Inglis & Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, see lyrics, music video & more!

The Flower DuetPhilharmonia Orchestra, Katherine Jenkins, Anthony Inglis & Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to Rigoletto / Act 1: "Questa o quella...Partite? Crudele!" by Luciano Pavarotti, Richard Bonynge, London Symphony Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sherrill Milnes, Riccardo Cassinelli & Ambrosian Opera Chorus, see lyrics, music video & more!

Rigoletto / Act 1: "Questa o quella...Partite? Crudele!"Luciano Pavarotti, Richard Bonynge, London Symphony Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sherrill Milnes, Riccardo Cassinelli & Ambrosian Opera Chorus

Listen to O Mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

O Mio babbino caro from Gianni SchicchiDame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen to Chi il bel sogno di Doretta from la Rondine by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

Chi il bel sogno di Doretta from la RondineDame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen to Chants d'Auvergne: II. Bailero by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & Jeffrey Tate, see lyrics, music video & more!

Chants d'Auvergne: II. BaileroDame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & Jeffrey Tate

Listen to Don Giovanni, K. 527: Là ci darem la mano by Teresa Berganza, Ruggero Raimondi, Lorin Maazel, José Van Dam, Kenneth Riegel, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Macurdy, Edda Moser & Malcolm King, see lyrics, music video & more!

Don Giovanni, K. 527: Là ci darem la manoTeresa Berganza, Ruggero Raimondi, Lorin Maazel, José Van Dam, Kenneth Riegel, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Macurdy, Edda Moser & Malcolm King

Listen to Quando m' en vo' soletta from la Bohème by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

Quando m' en vo' soletta from la BohèmeDame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen to Vesperae Solennes de Confessore in C, K. 339: V. Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes (Ps. 116/117) by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Chorus, John Constable & London Symphony Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

Vesperae Solennes de Confessore in C, K. 339: V. Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes (Ps. 116/117)Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Chorus, John Constable & London Symphony Orchestra

Listen to Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: "Porgi Amor" by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, James Levine & The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: "Porgi Amor"Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, James Levine & The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Listen to Vissi d'arte from Tosca by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra, see lyrics, music video & more!

Vissi d'arte from ToscaDame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London Philharmonic Orchestra

More albums from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to Christmas Music by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

ALBUMChristmas MusicDame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to Waiata by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

ALBUMWaiataDame Kiri Te Kanawa & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

ALBUMKiri Sings KarlKarl Jenkins, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & London Symphony Orchestra

ALBUMKiri Sings KarlDame Kiri Te Kanawa & London Symphony Orchestra

Listen to Maori Songs by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

ALBUMMaori SongsDame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to Humperdinck: Hansel & Gretel by Christa Ludwig, Children's Chorus of the Cologne Opera, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne & Ileana Cotrubas

ALBUMHumperdinck: Hansel & GretelChrista Ludwig, Children's Chorus of the Cologne Opera, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne & Ileana Cotrubas

Listen to Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne- Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra, Lynn Harrell & Jeffrey Tate

ALBUMCanteloube: Chants d'Auvergne- Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra, Lynn Harrell & Jeffrey Tate

Listen to Strauss, R.: Capriccio by Vienna Philharmonic, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Uwe Heilmann, Ulf Schirmer, Håkan Hagegård & Olaf Bär

ALBUMStrauss, R.: CapriccioVienna Philharmonic, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Uwe Heilmann, Ulf Schirmer, Håkan Hagegård & Olaf Bär

Listen to Kiri Sings Porter by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Peter Matz & New World Philharmonic Orchestra

ALBUMKiri Sings PorterDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Peter Matz & New World Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen to Mozart: Great Mass in C Minor by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Anne Sofie von Otter, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Robert Lloyd & Sir Neville Marriner

ALBUMMozart: Great Mass in C MinorDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Anne Sofie von Otter, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Robert Lloyd & Sir Neville Marriner

Listen to Wagner: Tannhäuser - Excerpts by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Håkan Hagegård, Marek Janowski, Philharmonia Orchestra, René Kollo, The Ambrosian Singers & Waltraud Meier

ALBUMWagner: Tannhäuser - ExcerptsDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Håkan Hagegård, Marek Janowski, Philharmonia Orchestra, René Kollo, The Ambrosian Singers & Waltraud Meier

Listen to Kiri Sings Kern by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jonathan Tunick & London Sinfonietta

ALBUMKiri Sings KernDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jonathan Tunick & London Sinfonietta

Listen to Kiri Sidetracks - The Jazz Album by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, André Previn, Mundell Lowe & Ray Brown

ALBUMKiri Sidetracks - The Jazz AlbumDame Kiri Te Kanawa, André Previn, Mundell Lowe & Ray Brown

Listen to Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Carl Davis, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Hadley, Sally Burgess & Willard White

ALBUMPaul McCartney's Liverpool OratorioRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Carl Davis, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Hadley, Sally Burgess & Willard White

Listen to The Complete Mozart Edition: Late Italian Operas, Vol. 2 Don Giovanni by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Ingvar Wixell, Martina Arroyo, Sir Colin Davis & Stuart Burrows

ALBUMThe Complete Mozart Edition: Late Italian Operas, Vol. 2 Don GiovanniDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Ingvar Wixell, Martina Arroyo, Sir Colin Davis & Stuart Burrows

Listen to Meeting Venus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Highlights from Wagner’s Tannhäuser] by Håkan Hagegård, Marek Janowski, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, René Kollo, Waltraud Meier & Philharmonia Orchestra

ALBUMMeeting Venus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Highlights from Wagner’s Tannhäuser]Håkan Hagegård, Marek Janowski, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, René Kollo, Waltraud Meier & Philharmonia Orchestra

Listen to Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro, K. 492 - Highlights by James Levine, Thomas Hampson, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dawn Upshaw, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Anne Sofie von Otter, Tatiana Troyanos, Paul Plishka, Anthony Laciura, Michael Forest, Renato Capecchi & John Keenan

ALBUMMozart: Le Nozze di Figaro, K. 492 - HighlightsJames Levine, Thomas Hampson, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dawn Upshaw, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Anne Sofie von Otter, Tatiana Troyanos, Paul Plishka, Anthony Laciura, Michael Forest, Renato Capecchi & John Keenan

Listen to Strauss, R.: Vier letzte Lieder; Die Nacht; Allerseelen by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti & Vienna Philharmonic

ALBUMStrauss, R.: Vier letzte Lieder; Die Nacht; AllerseelenDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti & Vienna Philharmonic

Listen to Kiri in Recital by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & Roger Vignoles

ALBUMKiri in RecitalDame Kiri Te Kanawa & Roger Vignoles

Listen to Mozart: Die Zauberflöte by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Cheryl Studer, Francisco Araiza, Olaf Bär, Samuel Ramey, Academy of St Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner

ALBUMMozart: Die ZauberflöteDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Cheryl Studer, Francisco Araiza, Olaf Bär, Samuel Ramey, Academy of St Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner

Listen to Strauss II: Die Fledermaus by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edita Gruberová, Brigitte Fassbaender, Wolfgang Brendel, Richard Leech, Olaf Bär, Tom Krause, Chorus of the Vienna State Opera, Vienna Philharmonic & André Previn

ALBUMStrauss II: Die FledermausDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edita Gruberová, Brigitte Fassbaender, Wolfgang Brendel, Richard Leech, Olaf Bär, Tom Krause, Chorus of the Vienna State Opera, Vienna Philharmonic & André Previn

Listen to Songs of Inspiration by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Julius Rudel, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square & Utah Symphony

ALBUMSongs of InspirationDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Julius Rudel, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square & Utah Symphony

Listen to Verdi: Simon Boccanegra by Leo Nucci, Paata Burchuladze, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Giacomo Aragall, Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, l'Orchestra della Scala di Milano & Sir Georg Solti

ALBUMVerdi: Simon BoccanegraLeo Nucci, Paata Burchuladze, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Giacomo Aragall, Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, l'Orchestra della Scala di Milano & Sir Georg Solti

Listen to Mozart: Arias by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & Jeffrey Tate

ALBUMMozart: AriasDame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & Jeffrey Tate

Listen to Mahler: Symphony No. 4 by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra & Seiji Ozawa

ALBUMMahler: Symphony No. 4Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra & Seiji Ozawa

Listen to Puccini: Manon Lescaut by Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna & Riccardo Chailly

ALBUMPuccini: Manon LescautCoro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna & Riccardo Chailly

Listen to Richard Strauss: Arabella by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Franz Grundheber, Gabriele Fontana, Helga Dernesch, Peter Seiffert, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden & Jeffrey Tate

ALBUMRichard Strauss: ArabellaDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Franz Grundheber, Gabriele Fontana, Helga Dernesch, Peter Seiffert, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden & Jeffrey Tate

Listen to Gounod: Faust by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Francisco Araiza, Evgeny Nesterenko, Bavarian Radio Chorus, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis

ALBUMGounod: FaustDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Francisco Araiza, Evgeny Nesterenko, Bavarian Radio Chorus, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis

Listen to Puccini: Tosca by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Giacomo Aragall, Leo Nucci & Sir Georg Solti

ALBUMPuccini: ToscaDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Giacomo Aragall, Leo Nucci & Sir Georg Solti

Listen to Bernstein: West Side Story by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, José Carreras, Tatiana Troyanos, Kurt Ollmann & Marilyn Horne

ALBUMBernstein: West Side StoryDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, José Carreras, Tatiana Troyanos, Kurt Ollmann & Marilyn Horne

Listen to Christmas with Kiri Te Kanawa. Carols from Coventry Cathedral by Robin Stapleton, BBC Philharmonic & Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

ALBUMChristmas with Kiri Te Kanawa. Carols from Coventry CathedralRobin Stapleton, BBC Philharmonic & Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Listen to Bernstein: West Side Story - Highlights by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras & Tatiana Troyanos

ALBUMBernstein: West Side Story - HighlightsLeonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras & Tatiana Troyanos

Listen to Blue Skies by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & Nelson Riddle

ALBUMBlue SkiesDame Kiri Te Kanawa & Nelson Riddle

Listen to Handel: Messiah by Chicago Symphony Chorus, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Sir Georg Solti

ALBUMHandel: MessiahChicago Symphony Chorus, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Sir Georg Solti

Listen to Berlioz: Les nuits d'été; Cléopatre by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Orchestre De Paris, Daniel Barenboim & Jessye Norman

ALBUMBerlioz: Les nuits d'été; CléopatreDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Orchestre De Paris, Daniel Barenboim & Jessye Norman

Listen to Kiri Te Kanawa: Ave Maria by Barry Rose, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & St Paul's Cathedral Choir

ALBUMKiri Te Kanawa: Ave MariaBarry Rose, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra & St Paul's Cathedral Choir

Listen to Mozart: Opera Arias by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis

ALBUMMozart: Opera AriasDame Kiri Te Kanawa, London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis

Listen to Gay: The Beggar's Opera by Richard Bonynge, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, James Morris, Dame Joan Sutherland, Angela Lansbury, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Sir Michael Hordern, Warren Mitchell, Alfred Marks, Regina Resnik & National Philharmonic Orchestra

ALBUMGay: The Beggar's OperaRichard Bonynge, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, James Morris, Dame Joan Sutherland, Angela Lansbury, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Sir Michael Hordern, Warren Mitchell, Alfred Marks, Regina Resnik & National Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen to Essential Classics: "Don Giovanni" Highlights by Lorin Maazel, Chœurs de l'Opéra national de Paris, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edda Moser, José Van Dam, Kenneth Riegel, Malcolm King, Paris Opera Orchestra & Ruggero Raimondi

ALBUMEssential Classics: "Don Giovanni" HighlightsLorin Maazel, Chœurs de l'Opéra national de Paris, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edda Moser, José Van Dam, Kenneth Riegel, Malcolm King, Paris Opera Orchestra & Ruggero Raimondi

Listen to R. Strauss: Four Last Songs; Orchestral Songs by London Symphony Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & Sir Andrew Davis

ALBUMR. Strauss: Four Last Songs; Orchestral SongsLondon Symphony Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & Sir Andrew Davis

Listen to Mozart: Die Zauberflöte by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edita Gruberová, Kathleen Battle, Kurt Moll, Philippe Huttenlocher, José Van Dam, Peter Hofmann, Norbert Orth, Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg & Alain Lombard

ALBUMMozart: Die ZauberflöteDame Kiri Te Kanawa, Edita Gruberová, Kathleen Battle, Kurt Moll, Philippe Huttenlocher, José Van Dam, Peter Hofmann, Norbert Orth, Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg & Alain Lombard

Listen to Wagner: Parsifal by Sir Georg Solti, René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Gottlob Frick, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Zoltan Kelemen, Hans Hotter, Robert Tear, Herbert Lackner, Rotraud Hansmann, Marga Schiml, Heinz Zednik, Ewald Aichberger, Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Birgit Finnilä, Vienna Boys' Choir, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera & Vienna Philharmonic

ALBUMWagner: ParsifalSir Georg Solti, René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Gottlob Frick, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Zoltan Kelemen, Hans Hotter, Robert Tear, Herbert Lackner, Rotraud Hansmann, Marga Schiml, Heinz Zednik, Ewald Aichberger, Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Birgit Finnilä, Vienna Boys' Choir, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera & Vienna Philharmonic

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Popular Music Videos

Capriccio: Aria "Morgen mittag um elf..."

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dale Travis & San Francisco Opera

Artist Playlists

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Essentials

One of the loveliest voices of our time and a singer made for Mozart and Richard Strauss.

About Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Hometown

New Zealand

Born

1944

Genre

Classical

The velvet voice of lyric soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has enhanced music by Mozart, Strauss, Verdi, and many other composers both inside and outside the opera world. Born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron in Gisborne, New Zealand, in 1944, she was adopted into a Maori family. She studied with famed vocal trainer Dame Sister Mary Leo Niccol in Auckland, and her 1965 recording of “The Nun’s Chorus” from Johann Strauss II’s Casanova (arr. Ralph Benatzky, 1928) became New Zealand’s first gold record. The London Opera Centre accepted her as a student without an audition, and she made her stage debut as Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (1791) in 1969. Her 1971 Covent Garden debut as the melancholy Countess in Le nozze di Figaro (1786) made Te Kanawa an overnight sensation. She expanded her repertoire during the ’70s, making her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1974 as the last-minute substitute for Teresa Stratas’ Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello (1887). In 1981, Te Kanawa rocketed to global fame after singing at Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s televised wedding. Now the “people’s diva,” she triumphed as the Marschallin in Bernard Haitink’s 1990 Dresden recording of Der Rosenkavalier (1911), which she considered to be one of her greatest achievements. Te Kanawa retired following a 2016 concert in Australia and now devotes her time to mentoring young singers.