Te Kanawa, Kiri, teh KAH nah wah, KIHR ee (1944-...), a New Zealand opera singer, is one of the most praised sopranos in the world. She has sung the major roles in operas of such composers as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet, and Richard Strauss. Her voice is rich and lyric, and impresses with its freshness and warmth.