Dame Kiri 'not interested' in Susan Boyle's success

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa said there were few people performing 'glorious, serious, grand opera without microphones'. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has hit the headlines in the UK after labelling Scottish singer Susan Boyle's achievements "whizz-bang".

During an interview with Radio Times magazine, Dame Kiri was asked about Boyle's success with her rendition of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.

"Let's get off that subject. Move on," she reportedly told the interviewer.

Dame Kiri is currently involved in a BBC Radio 2 competition to find an up-and-coming opera star.

The winner of the Radio 2 Kiri Prize will be given the opportunity to perform at the BBC Proms in the Park later this year and to attend a three-week course at the Solti Te Kanawa opera training school in Italy.

"I'm doing something classical, not whizz-bang," she reportedly told the magazine.

"Whizz-bang disappears. It goes 'whizz' and then 'bang'."

According to an express.co.uk report about the interview, Dame Kiri said she "felt sorry" for the contestants on shows such as Britain's X Factor.

"You insult me by even wanting to bring it [discussion about 'crossover' artists] into this conversation.

"I'm not interested. This competition is named after me and has far more stability."

Asked about other crossover stars such as Andrea Bocelli and Katherine Jenkins, Dame Kiri reportedly said: "We should talk about serious classical singers if you want to stick to the subject. There's Angela Gheorghiu, Renee Fleming, Anna Netrebko performing glorious, serious, grand opera without microphones. There aren't many of us."

- NZ HERALD STAFF