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.
The Heart Is Slow To Learn
Kiri Te Kanawa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The heart is slow to learn
These feelings that I feel
Are foolish but they're real
I'm wise enough to see
This love will never be
And each day's like the last,
When living in the past
But then, as I have said,
The heart is slow to learn
I'll live alone, as I have loved you
Why is love cruel?
I wish I knew!
Say what you will, it doesn't matter
Until I die, there's only you
Until I die, there's only you
The heart is slow to learn,
The heart is slow to learn
You'd think there'd be a way
To shut out yesterday
Perhaps if I just thought
Of all the times we fought
I've tried all that but no
There's just no letting go
I know it's mad and you won't return
But then, as I have said,
The heart is slow to learn
Why is love cruel?
I wish I knew!
Say what you will,
It doesn't matter
Until I die there's only you
Until I die there's only you
Why is love cruel?
I wish I knew!
Say what you will
It doesn't matter
Until I die there's only you
Until I die there's only you.
The Heart Is Slow to Learn
The song "The Heart Is Slow to Learn" by Kiri Te Kanawa talks about the difficulty in letting go of a love that was not meant to be. The lyrics convey a sense of disillusionment and heartbreak, as the singer tries to come to terms with the fact that her love will never be returned. She acknowledges that she is wise enough to see that the love she feels will never be reciprocated, but at the same time, she is unable to let go of the past and move on.
The repetition of the line "The heart is slow to learn" emphasizes the idea that it takes time for the heart to accept and let go of a love that was not meant to be. The singer expresses her frustration at the fact that she cannot shut out the memories of the past, no matter how hard she tries. She wishes she could forget about the past and move on, but her heart still holds onto the love it once felt.
The song conveys a strong sense of melancholy and resignation, as the singer accepts that she will likely never be able to move on from the love she once felt. The repetition of the line "Until I die, there's only you" emphasizes the depth and permanence of her love, even though she knows it can never be returned.
Line by Line Meaning
The heart is slow to learn
Despite how many times the heart has been scarred, it still takes a while to process and come to terms with new emotions.
These feelings that I feel
Although the singer recognizes the irrationality of their emotions, they cannot help but feel them strongly.
Are foolish but they're real
The singer acknowledges that their feelings are not logical but cannot deny that the emotions are authentic and present.
I'm wise enough to see
The artist understands the reality of the situation and does not entertain hopes of a relationship with the subject of their affection.
This love will never be
The artist has accepted that the love they have for the subject will not be returned and there is no possibility of a romantic relationship.
And each day's like the last
The singer feels trapped and stuck in the same unmovable state of emotion every day.
When living in the past
The singer cannot seem to break away from previous memories and emotions related to their subject of affection.
I know it's mad and you won't return
The artist has come to terms with the fact that their love is illogical and will not be reciprocated.
But then, as I have said,
The artist is reiterating the fact that the heart is slow to learn and process new situations.
I'll live alone, as I have loved you
The artist has given up hopes of a romantic relationship with their subject of affection and will continue to live alone with only their love for them.
Why is love cruel?
The singer does not understand why the emotion of love can cause so much pain and heartache.
Say what you will, it doesn't matter
The artist is resolute and impervious to outside opinions and analysis.
Until I die, there's only you
The singer's love will never diminish, and they will carry it with them until their eventual passing.
You'd think there'd be a way
The singer is questioning why they cannot seem to find a way to move on from their emotions.
To shut out yesterday
The singer wishes to forget the past and focus on the present but cannot seem to rid themselves of nostalgic memories.
Perhaps if I just thought
The artist is attempting to eliminate emotions through cognitively processing and analyzing their previous experiences with their subject of affection.
Of all the times we fought
The artist is hoping that focusing on negative memories will help eliminate the romantic emotions they feel.
I've tried all that but no
The singer has attempted multiple methods to move past their emotions but none have worked so far.
There's just no letting go
The love the singer feels is too strong, despite their attempts to rid themselves of it.
Until I die there's only you
The artist's love is unwavering and consistent, and will continue until their death.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elaineen1
I saw this program on public television. Great performances by all. Yet when Dame Kiri Te Kanawa came on near the finale it was as if the children had sung and now the master is here.
@orion8835
OMG totally.
@TimInUT
Exactly!
@orion8835
Her vocal spin, throat tilt and tone are just gorgeously produced. The song is very Puccinian. The entire effect is magical and full of yearning.
@frankandmarianhay8020
The best rendition of this song by any artist and Dame Kiri is not an artist, she is a legend, beautiful....
@YortOK
No one since Tebaldi can attack a high note with such passion and maintain the vocal quality.
@arnelnacino6754
Oh, boy. Here we go...
@eddievaldes9773
Pure and what singing is supposed to be
@natasatasic9954
She is one and only.
@rugby8-Philadelphia
@yortko1
Tebaldi could only sing it if it didn't go above a Bb -- 60/40 she'd be seriously flat if so
😎😎😎