Kiri Te Kanawa: Opera in the Outback

Australia's Yalkarinha Gorge provides a dramatic background for this 1997 concert by New Zealand-born diva Kiri Te Kanawa. Backed by the lush sound of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (which at times overwhelms the vocal line), Te Kanawa runs through a set of crowd-pleasing numbers that exploit the breadth (if not the depth) of her repertoire: grand and light opera, musical comedy and indigenous music (joined by the Adnyamathana Women's Choir). Ironically, the most appealing number is her wonderful rendition of Marietta's Lied from Korngold's Die Tote Stad, a standout in an otherwise tradition-bound program. Mainstream listeners will doubtless find much to enjoy here in this mix of serious and cross-over music, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Reed)