Born Clair Mary Teresa Rawstron on March 6, 1944 in Gisborne, New Zealand, the
acclaimed opera soprano is better known as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. One of opera’s
most beloved vocalists, her repertoire included works sung in many different
languages dating back to the 17th century. She began her career by singing pop
songs in New Zealand clubs in the early 1960s before moving to London, England
and enrolling at the London Opera Center in 1966. She began to gain attention
for her appearances in productions such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Purcell’s
Dido and Aeneas, Rossinis La donna d...