Classical Music

Women in Classical Music

If you look at the listings of the major orchestras in America you will see two things in common; very few of them are programming major pieces by women composers, and almost none have a woman on the podium. Despite the abundance of wonderful compositions by women, the world of classical music has been, for centuries, a man’s world.

Kiri Te Kanawa - pop star and operatic soprano sings at major opera houses and royal weddings

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM | By Ellen Robertson

Published February 22, 2019 at 3:54 PM EST

In her teens and early 20s, New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa was a pop star and entertainer. After winning the Lexus Song Quest, she received a grant to study in London. Performances at London’s Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera drew international recognition, and in 1981 she sang at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer to a worldwide television audience of more than 600 million. Listen to her perform "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.

This post is part WXXI Classical 91.5’s celebration of Women’s History Month. For more of these stories and other resources, check out Celebrating the Contributions of Women to Classical Music.