Dame Kiri and Friends at the Aotea Centre

By WILLIAM DART

The excitement was palpable and the Aotea Centre was primed for an evening of star turns.

Coloured beams of light reached out to the foliage on stage; the men of the Auckland Philharmonia were elegant in white coats; the chorus in stylish black.

The energetic opening Tarakihi was a theatrical coup, with a crane camera swooping around singers and players like a benign alien.

This was music-making with a mission: the launching of the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, an organisation to assist young New Zealand singers and musicians in their chosen careers.

The emphasis is primarily classical, although the $20 programme, featuring no fewer than 11 glamorous images of the diva, did remind us that Dame Kiri has always had a keen interest in all forms and styles of musical expression.

But on this night the offerings were mainly operatic. Kiri Te Kanawa made her entrance through the koru arch, in diaphanous, sequinned blue, and introduced herself with a nicely phrased Porgi Amor, not quite vintage in its tone, but delivered with authority.

The diva did not stint, although the selections, ranging from Strauss' Morgen to Charpentier's Depuis le jour were a little sedate. Puccini's Chi il bel sogno di Doretta made one realise that we were not hearing a singer in her prime, but both the Charpentier and Cilea's Io son lumile ancella revealed the luscious, creamy tone that made her name.

Dame Malvina Major was braver, setting off with Verdi's fiery Merce diletti amiche and, after the interval, settling into familiar Puccini, at her best in a nicely observed Un bel di vedremo.

Helen Medlyn injected chutzpah into Bizet's Habanera, but the orchestra and chorus, under Julian Reynolds, never really took fire, although the AP did give Bernstein's Candide Overture a whirlwind workout after the interval. Simon O'Neill proved himself yet again to be a popular favourite with Nessun dorma.

In the midst of so many solo turns, ensembles were gratefully accepted. The two Dames were at their most persuasive in Figaro's letter duet and Te Kanawa and O'Neill created the highlight of the evening bringing Mimi and Rodolfo to glorious life for O Soave fanciulla.

The famous, from Prince Charles to Neil Finn, sent their greetings via video, while, on stage, an obviously unwell Jonah Lomu gave his moving endorsements.

There were only two liabilities - an awkward West Side Story extract from the otherwise exemplary young singers and a simpering encore of Enya's Celtic croon from The Lord of the Rings - not enough to mar an evening with class and aroha.