Photography: Robert Trathen.
Christmas has changed its tune these days for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Instead of the wintry celebrations she once knew overseas, with twinkling lights, roaring fires and roast goose featuring all the trimmings, she now hosts a relaxed seafood lunch at her Bay of Islands home − crayfish, salads and vegetables picked straight from her garden.
Yet while the seasons have changed, the joy hasn’t, particularly with her excited seven-year-old grandson Luther sharing the day.
“He’s such a lovely little boy – we have a lot of fun together,” enthuses Kiri, who moved back to Aotearoa in 2021 to be near him.
And as the pair join the Weekly for a special festive photoshoot, there is plenty to celebrate. It has been another busy year for the legendary soprano, who tells us the best Christmas gift she ever could have imagined has already arrived, with New Zealand’s most prestigious opera competition being officially renamed the Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest. For Kiri, whose Song Quest win in 1965 launched her dazzling operatic career, it’s not just an honour, but a legacy − one she hopes will continue to nurture and inspire the next generation of singers.
At the heart of a dream
“All my life, the Song Quest has reigned in my being,” says Kiri.
“There have been many important moments, but none like that because without the start, the rest would not have followed.”
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A magical moment on stage
The nation stood still for the annual event, broadcast live on radio, and at just 21, on stage in Dunedin, the young Māori singer felt as though she had achieved the impossible. She can still recall the magical moment.
“It was almost breath-taking,” she admits.
“You know, you hear your name come up and you think, ‘This is really what I want, but it’s impossible.’ It felt too incredible to be real.”
Launching a world-class career
Little did she know that the then-Mobil Song Quest, later the Lexus Song Quest, would make her an overnight star, provide the funds that would take her to England and mark the beginning of an extraordinary career on the world’s great stages.
That, she says, is why ensuring the Song Quest endures remains so important − its power to launch and support the careers of young artists must be protected.
Giving back comes first
“My career has given me so much, so now the whole idea is to give to others. We all take and we all give, but now, giving is the reason behind everything we do.”
And this Christmas, she’ll be giving her time and love to the people she adores the most − little Luther, seven, and his parents, Tom Park (Kiri’s son) and his partner Zeera, who are based in Auckland. But after 55 years of living in the Northern Hemisphere, Kiri – whose daughter Antonia lives in Australia − admits she still finds it strange to be celebrating in the middle of summer.
“I just can’t get used to it!” she says.
“It never clicks because it’s just not cold enough. In England, it was so wet and miserable that you really did everything you could to make Christmas wonderful. It was cosy inside, so you’d hunker down, and eat and drink too much.”
Royal Christmas memories
Kiri occasionally even joined the late Queen Elizabeth and her family for winter shoots at Sandringham and took part in their traditional church services.
“They were wonderful times,” reflects Kiri.
“I do miss our Christmases in England and those other wonderful experiences.”
Her answer now she’s Down Under? A mid-winter celebration in August.
“Usually, I have 10 or 12 people to stay, and we have the turkey and all of that. We put the Christmas lights and the tree up, and it all feels very festive.”
Kiri will again make sure the halls are decked for Luther’s arrival later this month. Experiencing the excitement through his eyes has brought back the magic for her and husband Kevin, who is deeply private and has always gracefully side-stepped the limelight despite his wife’s fame.
They take their roles as grandparents seriously − so much so that it was Luther who drew them back to New Zealand permanently.
Making a difference in Luther’s life
Kiri explains, “We’re the only extended family he has, so it’s important to us that we’re in his life. We hope we can make a difference in some way.”
While Luther has asked for a drone for Christmas − which his grandma isn’t sure is a great idea − she has already bought games and activities to do with him over the summer holidays, and is looking forward to unwrapping presents with him on the big day. His favourite thing to do when he goes up north, however, is fishing with Grandpa.
Grandpa Kev, helicopters and music
“He thinks Grandpa Kev’s the best,” says Kiri.
“I guess it’s because Grandpa Kev’s an idiot with him – he’s a big kid too, so it’s perfect. He says to him, ‘Oh, you sucker!’ and they laugh so much together. He heard that Grandpa Kevin caught a shark the other day and his eyes just lit up.”
Like most doting grandmas, Kiri loves to treat Luther. For his last birthday, she took him on a helicopter ride over Auckland − an experience neither of them will never forget. And she’s thrilled to report that Luther is showing early signs of musical talent.
“He’s learning guitar, which I think is perfect,” she shares.
“I’m relieved it’s not the drums!”
Staying strong through the pain
But before Christmas rolls around, Kiri has a date with a surgeon. In typical fashion, she doesn’t want to dwell on the pain that has become increasingly burdensome this year, but she is joining what she calls “the hip club” − with a hip replacement scheduled for mid-December. She blames “all those stage hours” for the aches and pains that have already seen both knees replaced, but she’s typically stoic and says her doctor has promised she’ll be as good as new after a few weeks.
She brushes off any suggestion that she might need to hand over the apron to someone else for cooking duty on Christmas Day.
Ready for Christmas in action
“No, I’ll be fine!” she insists.
“I certainly won’t be lying down. Besides, crayfish is easy, it only takes six-and-a-half minutes to cook, and I’ll have plenty of helpers.”
There’s no doubt Kiri remains as much a force as she ever was. She might have stepped back from performing eight years ago − aside from an impromptu Parliament performance for her 80th − but life is anything but quiet. She’s still deeply involved with her Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, which supports young singers in both the UK and NZ, and she can’t imagine ever giving that up. Lending her name and sponsorship to the Song Quest is an exciting new chapter for her and the foundation, which she established in 2003.
Gardening, cooking and early mornings
Kiri spends hours in her vegetable garden and loves to cook. By the time we speak at 9am, she has already packed a picnic lunch for Kevin and a friend heading out on the boat – cold lamb sandwiches with lettuce picked that morning and her homemade mint sauce.
Her four little dogs, Abbey, Eska, Chenna and Cinque, bring her huge joy. They rule the house, she admits, and are welcome on every sofa, bed and lap.
“They are our life, along with everything else.”
Remembering Nyack
Yet she still misses her beloved Nyack, who died last year at 13. Nyack was her first dog, her constant companion, travelling everywhere with her in a carry bag tucked discreetly under her arm.
“She was my little sidekick for so long, so it’s been sad without her. But she lived a very good life and she was certainly well-travelled.”
Travel remains one of Kiri and Kevin’s great shared passions. Earlier this year, they went to the UK to see old friends before taking a cruise through the Scottish Isles, then Kiri returned a second time to farewell a dear friend with terminal cancer.
Cherishing precious moments
“I was enormously grateful to get there in time,” she says quietly.
“He died two weeks after I saw him.”
Life at home is no less full. Kiri regularly makes the trip between Auckland and her Bay of Islands haven, sometimes several times a week, for work and to be close to family. And she recently ticked Stewart Island off her bucket list, although the huge October storm scuppered most of their plans.
“So we’re going back,” she laughs. “We’ve already booked.”
Looking forward, always
Asked whether she’s feeling reflective at this stage of life, she shakes her head.
“There’s too much going on! I have so much to look forward to.”
Next July marks the inaugural Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest, there’s more overseas travel on the horizon and, of course, precious time to be spent with Luther.
Life’s simple joys
“Life is good,” she says simply.
“What brings me the most joy is knowing people are happy. I just like to make sure that my husband, my grandchild, my son and my daughter are all living their lives with contentment. That’s really all that matters.”
With that, it’s time to head back out to the garden to see what’s sprung up overnight. There is always something to check on, always something to do − and that’s just how she likes it.
Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest Grand Final is on Saturday, July 11 at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington. Tickets go on sale in April 2026. For more info, visit songquest.nz
