Kiri Te Kanawa

Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa, ONZ, Ch, DBE, AC is an operatic soprano singer. She was born on 6 March 1944 in Gisborne, New Zealand, of European and Maori heritage. By the time she was 20 she had won the major vocal prizes available in the South Pacific, and had started her recording career with Kiwi Records. She then moved to London to study at the London Opera Centre and pursue her singing and recording career.