| Looking back I would say that the year 2006 was a | | | | happened one day while walking the streets of |
| great one. This being the case since Italy won the | | | | Warsaw that I saw a poster promoting her concert at |
| World Cup and I got to see my idol, Kiri Te kanawa in | | | | the philharmonic. I, at first could not believe that she |
| concert at Warsaw's philharmonic. As for Kiri Te | | | | was coming to Warsaw but as soon as my eyes |
| Kanawa, it is this very elegant soprano from New | | | | verified what they had seen I went over and got two |
| Zealand who is one of my favorite all time singers. | | | | tickets for her concert. This would be a grand |
| This due to not only her stupendous voice but acting | | | | occasion and I could feel it, as I would be seeing live |
| ability which coupled with her beauty make her lovely | | | | the woman whom I had heard so many times on TV |
| not only to listen to but watch; specially in roles like | | | | singing such lovely arias as "O Mio Babbino Caro", "Mi |
| "Maria" in the opera "Simon Buccanegra". This being an | | | | Chiamano Mimi" and many more. |
| opera by Verdi which I once bought on DVD many | | | | |
| years ago given it not only had her in the main soprano | | | | The wait was not long yet I could not stop thinking of |
| part but Placido Domingo in the main tenor part of | | | | the concert till the day on which it finally came on. It |
| Gabriele, who happens to be the man engaged to Kiri | | | | being a Saturday in the month of September when I |
| Te Kanawa or at least in the opera. | | | | finally got to see the great Kiri Te Kanawa in concert. |
| | | | | Kiri Te Kanawa, was brilliant in performing songs from |
| I must say that it was after hearing this particular | | | | her recent album which included Argentine songs such |
| performance of "Simon Buccanegra" (recorded live at | | | | as "El Clavel Del Aire Blanco" and "Que Linda La |
| New York's Metropolitan opera) that I become a fan | | | | Madreselva!". Her performance live let me see why |
| of Te Kanawa; finding her dazzling in this role in which | | | | she was a performer who was so much in demand in |
| she displayed all her qualities as a performer. Naturally I | | | | the opera world as her voice was abundant yet she |
| would go on to watch the DVD over and over again, | | | | did not force it in anyway. Kiri Te Kanawa having a |
| as such was my fascination with this version of this | | | | voice that had a natural beauty about it which adorned |
| opera by Verdi in which the conductor was James | | | | the theatre as a great masterpiece would a museum. |
| Levine. | | | | |
| | | | | The concert was one of the most charming I had ever |
| Regarding Te KaNawa however it was then that I | | | | seen as there was a certain grace and dignity about |
| became a fan and even purchased her greatest hits | | | | her which was clear for all to see as she performed |
| CD which not only included her interpretations of opera | | | | song after song in a night of sheer delight. Naturally |
| arias but of some popular songs such as "Let's Face | | | | she being an opera singer also performed opera arias, |
| The Music And Dance" and "Just The Way You Look | | | | most notably "O Mio Babbino Caro" by Puccini from |
| Tonight". It was also during this time that I found out | | | | "Gianni Schicchi" which even brought on a cheer loud |
| that Kiri Te Kanawa was part Irish and part Māori | | | | enough to resemble a rock concert. As for me it was |
| along with having performed in the original version of | | | | a night I will never forget and though I did not get to |
| "Westside Story"; next to Jose Carreras. | | | | meet Kiri Te Kanawa in person, I did mention her in my |
| | | | | book "New York's Opera Society" as being the |
| I must confess that it did not take long for me to | | | | soprano who sings next to Domingo in Wagner's |
| become a big fan of hers, as I tried to catch her | | | | "Gotterdammerung". |
| performances as often as I could on "Mezzo" and it | | | | |