Tickets selling fast for Dame Kiri’s Rotorua concert
Tickets selling fast for Dame Kiri's Rotorua concert
22 March 2014
A month and a half out from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Rotorua concert on 6 May and half the available seats in the city's Civic Theatre have already sold out.
Rotorua is one of just five New Zealand cities the international opera star has chosen to perform in this year. Dame Kiri describes Rotorua as one of her favourite cities and says she always enjoys her experiences and the hospitality in Rotorua.
Accompanying Dame Kiri on stage at her recital will be Internationally acclaimed pianist Terence Dennis. Mr Dennis is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's finest musicians.
Rotorua arts patron and concert promoter Grahame Hall said the concert will be a wonderful occasion to celebrate Dame Kiri's 70th birthday and to acknowledge her outstanding career.
It will be a very special recital celebrating the elegance of the Classical and Romantic eras. But realistically it may be one of the last chances we have to see one of the world's greatest opera stars live in concert at home in New Zealand, he said.
Dame Kiri first came to New Zealanders' attention 50 years ago when she came second to Dame Malvina Major in the Mobil Song Quest in 1963, before winning the same competition in 1965. She shot to international fame in 1971 performing in the opera Figaro at Covent Garden in London. In 1981 she sang at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at St Pauls Cathedral.
Since then she has captivated audiences in leading concerts halls across the globe, including New York's Metropolitan, the Vienna State, Sydney Opera House, La Scala, Covent Garden and the Chicago Lyric Opera.
More recently she played a guest role as Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba in the popular British television series Downton Abbey and last year released her second Maori album Waiata.'
Mr Hall said demand for tickets for the Rotorua concert had been strong from right across the central North Island. Profits from the recital will go to the Rotorua Lakeside Concerts Charitable Trust he added.
Tickets to the 6 May 2014 Dame Kiri Te Kanawa concert at the Rotorua Civic Theatre are available from Ticketmaster outlets or from the Rotorua Convention Centre. Ticket prices are $90 (Premium) and $120 (Superior).