Kiri Te Kanawa

Born 6 March 1944 in Gisborne.
Studied under Sister Mary Leo 1959-65 at St Mary's College in Auckland.
Was second to Malvina Major in the Mobil Song Quest in 1963, won it in 1965.
Won the Melbourne Sun Aria in 1965, and was awarded an arts council bursary to study at the London Opera Centre. Has been based overseas since.
Has sung at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Covent Garden, and the Royal Opera House in London, and La Scala in Milan, Italy.
In 1981 sang at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral.
Became Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1982, and has returned to New Zealand to sing several times, including the New Year's millennium concert at Gisborne in January 2000.
In 1994 celebrated her 50th birthday, culminating in a spectacular Birthday Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
November 1999 released a new album Māori Songs.
Sang in her last opera Vanessa in 2002, but plans to continue with recital and concert work and establishing the Dame Kiri Foundation, to help young music students.