Dame Kiri Te Kanawa visits Macleans College
Posted on April 05, 2024
On Thursday 14 March, Te Kanawa House staff and students were thrilled to welcome Dame Kiri Te Kanawa to Macleans College.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is a world-renowned opera singer who serves as an inspiration to the students of Te Kanawa House at Macleans College.
A welcoming party consisting of Principal Mr Hargreaves, Deputy Principals Mrs Mair and Ms Tuialii, Te Kanawa House Leader Mr Percival, Deputy House Leader Mrs Kingsley and Cultural Captains Quinn Bevan, and Felice Yang greeted Dame Kiri at the main office. Their first stop was the staffroom where the Macleans College Chorale performed for Dame Kiri. The chorale’s performance was uplifting and inspiring and students did an impressive job of pushing through their nerves to perform for such an esteemed guest.
Dame Kiri was then guided to Te Kanawa House where the Macleans College Kapa Haka group welcomed her back with a powhiri and a waiata was performed by all members of the whanau house.
Speeches were delivered by both Mr Percival and the Cultural Captains welcoming Dame Kiri and thanking her for her philanthropic work and the legacy she holds that the members of the whanau house strive to uphold.
A panoramic painting of the sea view by Te Kanawa House students was gifted to Dame Kiri alongside flowers. This was followed by a speech by Dame Kiri where she addressed the students and emphasised the vast opportunities available to them at Macleans College. She encouraged students to make the most of all the opportunities available to them. The poignant takeaway message from Dame Kiri was ‘success is challenging, as it should be, you need to work hard’.
As a collective, Te Kanawa House felt very privileged to have had the opportunity to meet Dame Kiri, their namesake. It was a truly wonderful and unique opportunity to celebrate with her.
