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Popera star Elizabeth Marvelly says she's no fake.
"I'm a young artist who's endeavouring to be as true to her music as possible," she says.
The 18-year-old said she was surprised that New Zealand opera legend Dame Kiri Te Kanawa had said she thought popera stars were fake singers.
Dame Kiri slammed Hayley Westenra during an interview with the Weekend Herald's canvas magazine in which she said popera stars are all fake singers.
"People call them up-and-coming, but they never last," Dame Kiri said. "They are the new fakes for the new generation coming through, but they can only perform with a microphone and they've basically never had any form of formal training. I've had a 40-year career, but these people, two or three years and they're gone."
Marvelly said she did not consider herself a fake singer and although not offended by Dame Kiri's comments, she was surprised by them.
"I just wouldn't have expected her to comment against a young New Zealander. She is usually so supportive of young New Zealanders ... We were all just looking at it and saying, 'Oh my goodness'," Marvelly said.
She also noted the financial support Dame Kiri gave musicians through her Kiri Te Kawana Foundation.
Asked if she thought Dame Kiri's comments were snobby, Marvelly said she didn't. "I think that she is speaking in relation to an art that she is dedicated to. She is well within her rights to have her opinion. A lot of opera singers don't like popera."
However, Marvelly said popera was a fantastic music genre which was drawing people who wouldn't normally listen to opera.
She hoped that despite Dame Kiri's comments, she and others in the popera genre would have big careers ahead of them.
- DAILY POST
