Three Kiwi opera stars whose careers have been touched by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sit closely together in RNZ Concert’s Auckland studio. Before going to air they talk about the “big issues” – who’s going to be the next All Blacks coach and what’s on the cards for one of them who’s about to go on tour with Sol3 Mio.
Soprano Anna Leese, tenor Pene Pati – of Sol3 Mio fame – and baritone James Ioelu sound relaxed and ready. Upbeat presenter David Morriss asks Pene and James both to speak, so we can decipher their voices from one another. “I have a higher, more brilliant sound,” Pene laughs.
“I have a lower, luscious and chocolatey voice,” James adds with a smile.
The “brilliant” and “chocolatey” voices, along with Anna’s lyric soprano voice will soar this evening to mark the renaming of the Aotea Centre’s theatre to the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre.
Dame Kiri has touched all three of their lives and influenced their careers significantly.
The Governess (Anna Leese), Miles (Alexandros Swallow) and Flora (Alexa Harwood) - NZ Opera's 2019 production of The Turn of the Screw, by Benjamin Britten. Photo: Marty Melville
For Anna, Dame Kiri’s career and voice was something she aspired to growing up. In 2002 Anna won the Mobil Song Contest and then went to the UK, where she was invited to Dame Kiri’s home “many times”.
This was before the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation was formed, a foundation that supports the next generation of opera singers; but Anna was still able to make an impression on the great Dame.
“She’d fill her studios with Kiwis and have full day sessions, working on any repertoire we had coming up,” she says. “It was so valuable and I’m still grateful for it 15 years later.”
Pene Pati in NZ Opera's The Elixir of Love Photo: Supplied
For Pene Pati, Dame Kiri literally clothed him during a chilly Welsh winter. In his first year in Cardiff – under considerable financial strain caused by tuition, rent and living costs - he walked into a session with Dame Kiri in just a t-shirt and shorts, which was all he could afford at the time.
“I kid you not… I left the master class, she walked out with me and said ‘go with my assistant’ and she bought me all my stuff on the spot,” he says. “I was so incredibly thankful. I was on the bare ends of everything and she took me in straight away.”
Photo: Supplied
James Ioelu was also supported by the Dame and the Foundation and is now based permanently in the UK. He was late to the “opera scene” and first discovered Dame Kiri at a Christmas in the Park concert. “She’s the one to aspire to,” he says. “To watch her do her thing… I feel very lucky to have been helped by her.”
But things didn’t always go to plan when performing in front of the global star. “I sang for her a few years ago before moving to the UK. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t impressed!” he laughs. “It’s always great to sing in front of the audience and to have Dame Kiri there to listen is special.”
Pene is looking forward to showing the Dame how much he’s grown since she last saw him. Since his time in Cardiff he’s gone on to have a successful recording and touring career with Sol3 Mio and has become a mainstage artist with the San Francisco Opera. “I hope she can look on me and know…’I’m proud of what I’ve been a part of’,” he says.
Tonight’s gala performance features “opera greats” associated with Dame Kiri’s long career. “What a better way to celebrate Dame Kiri and her opera career with the opera greats,” Pene says.
The Gala starts at 7.30pm tonight at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Auckland. RNZ Concert will be recording the performance and it will be broadcast on 16 December.
