Dame Kiri, who was born in Gisborne, New Zealand, as Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron, was educated at St Mary's College, Auckland, where she trained in operatic singing. She initially found work as a singer in clubs and on the radio, recording popular songs of the day, before winning a grant in 1966 to study opera at the London Opera Centre. While training, she was offered a contract with London's Royal Opera House, which led to international success as an opera singer with performances in the world's most important opera houses. In July 1981, she was seen and heard around the world by an estimated 600 million people when she sang at the wedding of HRH Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Dame Kiri retired from public performance in 2017.