Te Kanawa was born in Gisborne, on New Zealand's North Island. She has both Māori and European ancestry, but little is known about her birth parents as she was adopted as an infant. She is the adopted daughter of an Irish mother and Māori father. In her teens and early 20s, Te Kanawa was a pop star and popular entertainer at clubs in New Zealand.
She was educated at Saint Mary's College Auckland and formally trained in operatic singing by the celebrated Dame Sister Mary Leo, RSM, who was New Zealand's best-known opera coach. She began her singing career as a mezzo-soprano, but later developed into a soprano. Her recording of the "Nuns' Chorus" from the Strauss operetta Casanova was New Zealand's first gold record.
Kiri married Desmond Park, whom she met on a blind date in Auckland in August 1967 and married 6 months later. The couple adopted two children, Antonia (1976) and Thomas (1979, named after Kiri's adoptive father). The couple divorced in the late 1990s.
Career
In 1965 she won the prestigious Mobil Song Quest, entered by all types of singers, jazz, pop and classical, with her performance of Puccini's "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca. As the winner, she received a grant to study in London.
Early years in London
In 1966, without an audition, she enrolled at the London Opera Centre to study under James Robertson, who is said to have stated that Te Kanawa did not have any singing technique when she arrived at the school but did have a gift for captivating audiences.
She first appeared on stage as the "Second Lady" in Die Zauberflöte, as well as in performances of Dido and Aeneas in December 1968 at the Sadler's Wells Theatre. In 1969, she sang "Elena" in Gioacchino Rossini's La donna del lago at the Camden Festival. Praise for her "Idamante" in Mozart's Idomeneo led to an offer of a three-year contract as junior principal at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden where she made her debut as 'Xenia' in Boris Godunov and a 'Flower Maiden' in Parsifal in 1970, and was also heard as the "Voice from Heaven", an off-stage role, at the end of Verdi's Don Carlo. Also, during 1969, she was offered the role of the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro after an audition in which the conductor, Colin Davis said "I couldn't believe my ears. I've taken thousands of auditions, but it was such a fantastically beautiful voice." Under director John Copley, Te Kanawa was carefully groomed for the role for a December 1971 opening.
International career
Meanwhile, word of her success had reached John Crosby at the Santa Fe Opera, a summer opera festival in the U.S. state of New Mexico then about to begin its fifteenth season. He cast her in the role of the Countess in Figaro, which opened on 30 July 1971. "It was two of the newcomers who left the audience dazzled: Frederica von Stade as Cherubino and Kiri Te Kanawa as the Countess. Everyone knew at once that these were brilliant finds. History has confirmed that first impression." Von Stade and Te Kanawa have continued this association even up to the present day. In 2007, they sang together at Kiri's farewell concert in Carnegie Hall.
But on 1 December 1971 at Covent Garden, Kiri Te Kanawa repeated the Santa Fe triumph and created an international sensation in the same role: "with 'Porgi amor' Kiri knocked the place flat." It was followed by performances as the Countess at the San Francisco Opera in autumn 1972, while her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1974 as Desdemona in Otello took place on short notice, replacing an ill Teresa Stratas at the last minute.
In subsequent years, she performed at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Paris Opera, Sydney Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, La Scala, San Francisco Opera, Munich and Cologne, adding the Mozart roles of Donna Elvira, Pamina, and Fiordiligi, in addition to Italian roles such as Mimi in La bohème. She played Donna Elvira in Joseph Losey's 1979 film adaptation of Don Giovanni.
Te Kanawa has a particular affinity for the heroines of Richard Strauss. Her first appearance in the title role in Arabella was at the Houston Grand Opera in 1977, followed by the roles of the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and the Countess in Capriccio. Many performances were given under the baton of Georg Solti and it was with him that she made her first recording of Figaro.
Te Kanawa retired from the opera stage after her performances in Samuel Barber's Vanessa with the Washington National Opera and the Los Angeles Opera in November/December 2004, but she still performs in concert halls.
UK talk show host Michael Parkinson asked her to name the person she felt was the greatest singer that ever lived. She replied: "The young Elvis Presley, without any doubt."
Honours
Kiri Te Kanawa was conferred a Dame Commander of The Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1982, invested as an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1990 and awarded the prestigious Order of New Zealand (ONZ) in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours List. She has also received honorary degrees from the following universities in the UK: Cambridge, Dundee, Durham, Nottingham, Oxford, Sunderland, Warwick as well as these universities worldwide: Chicago, Auckland and Waikato as well as being honorary fellow of Somerville College, Oxford and Wolfson College, Cambridge. She is also patron of Ringmer Community College, a school in the South-East of England.
Controversy
Te Kanawa has always been popular among New Zealanders, but in a 2003 interview with the Melbourne-based Herald Sun she was critical of the high rate of welfare dependence among the Māori people, angering some of her compatriots.
Te Kanawa has recently been taken to court by Leading Edge for cancelling a concert with Australian singer John Farnham after learning that his fans sometimes threw their underwear on stage, which he would then proudly display. She won this breach-of-contract lawsuit, in part because no binding contract was made, but over $100,000 in court costs were awarded against the Mittane holding company which employs and manages Te Kanawa.
Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation
Kiri founded the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation with the vision "that talented young New Zealand singers and musicians with complete dedication to their art may receive judicious and thoughtful mentoring and support to assist them in realising their dreams."
The Foundation manages a trust fund to provide financial and career scholarships to young New Zealand singers and musicians.
It's a Lovely Day Today
Kiri Te Kanawa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So whatever you've got to do
You've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
And I hope whatever you've got to do
Is something that can be done by two
For I'd really like to stay
And whatever you've got to do
I'd be so happy to be doing it with you
But if you've got something that must be done
And it can only be done by one
There is nothing more to say
Except it's a lovely day for saying
It's a lovely day
[2]
It's a lovely day today
And whatever I've got to do
I've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
But perhaps whatever I've got to do
Is something that can be done by two
If it is then you could stay
It's a lovely day today
But you're probably busy too
So I suppose there's nothing we can do
For if you've got something that must be done
And it can only be done by one
There is nothing more to say
Except it's a lovely day for saying
It's a lovely day
[3]
It's a lovely day today
If you've something that must get done
Now don't forget two heads are better than just one
And besides I'm certain if you knew me
You'd find I'm very good company
Won't you kindly let me stay?
[4]
It's a lovely day today
And whatever we've got to do
We've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
And I know whatever we've got to do
Is something that can be done by two
I'll say it's a lovely day for saying
It's a lovely day
The song "It's a Lovely Day Today" by Kiri Te Kanawa is a joyous song that celebrates the beauty of life. The song is about enjoying a beautiful day and doing whatever needs to be done in the company of someone else. The song starts by acknowledging that it is a lovely day, and even if there are tasks that need to be completed, it is still a beautiful day to do them. The singer expresses a desire to do whatever needs to be done with someone else. The lyrics suggest that doing things together can make the chores or tasks more enjoyable.
The verse that repeats throughout the song suggests that if the task that needs to be done can only be completed by one person, then the other should go and enjoy the beautiful day. It is a reminder that even though there may be responsibilities that need to be taken care of, it is also important to take time to enjoy the beauty around us. The last verse of the song extends an invitation to team up with someone. The singer suggests that working together can make the tasks more fun and more productive.
Overall, the song is about finding joy and beauty in life and the importance of cherishing the moments we have. It encourages us to appreciate what we have and to make the most of it, no matter what the day may bring.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a lovely day today
The day is very nice and pleasant today.
So whatever you've got to do
No matter your responsibilities, this beautiful day is waiting for you.
You've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
You have a whole day in your favour to accomplish your tasks.
And I hope whatever you've got to do
It is expected that whatever you have to do today,
Is something that can be done by two
can be done by two people.
For I'd really like to stay
Because I would like to spend time with you, please make sure it can be done by both of us.
But if you've got something that must be done
But if one has an important task at hand,
And it can only be done by one
which can be carried out by only one person.
There is nothing more to say
In such a case, there is no alternative but to let them carry it out alone.
Except it's a lovely day for saying
However, it can still be acknowledged that today is a beautiful day.
It's a lovely day
This is a wonderful day.
And whatever I've got to do
Regardless of what I intend to do,
I've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
I have a whole day free to carry out my assignments.
But perhaps whatever I've got to do
However, maybe what I planned to do today
Is something that can be done by two
can equally be done with your assistance.
If it is then you could stay
If that is possible then it would be great to have you around.
But you're probably busy too
But, I acknowledge that you might be preoccupied.
So I suppose there's nothing we can do
Therefore, we are left with nothing but to carry on with our own plans.
If you've got something that must be done
At the same time, if you have commitments
Now don't forget two heads are better than just one
Remember that two minds are better than one in solving problems.
And besides I'm certain if you knew me
Also, If you get to know me better,
You'd find I'm very good company
You'd realize that I could be enjoyable company.
Won't you kindly let me stay?
Would you be so kind as to allow me to stay?
And whatever we've got to do
No matter what tasks we have ahead,
We've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true
We still have a whole beautiful day to do it.
And I know whatever we've got to do
Also, I am convinced that whatever we have planned,
Is something that can be done by two
can be done cooperatively, together.
I'll say it's a lovely day for saying
I must mention again, what a great day this is for expressing this sentiment
It's a lovely day
It is such a pleasant and wonderful day.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donald Blackmore
on Tarakihi (The Locust)
Beautiful