Although opera has always been Kiri’s first love, from the early 1970s she branched out into performing on the concert stage. Since then she has balanced the two worlds of concert and opera. Kiri enjoys the freedom of the concert stage: ‘You can relate to an audience more. You can giggle and laugh and say a few things to your public if you feel inclined.’

Kiri’s dresses for concert performances have sometimes been daring, always dramatic, and occasionally controversial. In 1981 she was invited to sing at the wedding of HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. Her colourful dress and hat for that occasion caused a stir. Kiri was unconcerned by the critics: ‘It didn’t really matter that they didn’t or did like it. Bird of Paradise I was exactly!"

Top photo: Singing at the Royal Wedding, London, 1981. Photograph courtesy of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
Bottom photo: Wearing the 'Seville' dress, 1992. Photograph by John Selkirk, courtesy of The Dominion Post.