By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Looking nothing like an opera star, Keith Ikaia-Purdy
relaxes before his performance Saturday
with the Honolulu Symphony.
Tenor Keith Ikaia-Purdy
By Tim Ryan
returns from Europe to play
the Waikiki Shell
Star-BulletinHe's performed throughout Europe, debuted with Germany's Hessen State Theater Wiesbaden, and has been the leading tenor at the Vienna State Opera since 1992. But coming back to Hawaii to sing "Ku'u ipo I Ka He'e Pu'eone," a song made popular by the Cazimero Brothers, has put the soft-spoken Keith Ikaia-Purdy a little on edge.
"European critics are one thing, but if I make a mistake with 'Ku'u Ipo I Ka He'e Pu'eone' I think I'm in for big trouble," Ikaia-Purdy said, laughing.
Ikaia-Purdy, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, performs with the Honolulu Symphony Saturday. He also will sing "Cielo e Mar" from La Gioconda, and "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot.
"It's always wonderful to come home, but it keeps getting harder and harder to leave," said Ikaia-Purdy, whose family still lives here.
As a full-time performer with the Vienna State Opera, the singer no longer has to audition or look for work. "It allows a performer to concentrate on his art -- at least for the length of his contract," he said.
Ikaia-Purdy had never gone beyond California regional opera companies when in the late 1980s he was
suddenly "discovered" by European opera producers.
What they admired most was Ikaia-Purdy's "Hawaiian" voice, which frequently was compared to the Hawaii-born opera star of 50 years ago, Tandy MacKenzie.
His career turned around after his 1990 performance at the Wiesbaden International May Festival, when he was invited to join the Vienna opera.
Ikaia-Purdy had been to the fabled opera house only once before he auditioned, singing an aria from "La Boheme" for maestro Claudio Abbado. After performing as a featured singer with the company for two years, he formally joined the roster.
His singing career began at Kamehameha, where he performed with the school's concert choral and later the Hawaii Opera Chorus. He later settled in San Francisco.
"That was a tough year because I was trying to get my career going and I had tons of singer friends who I believed were far more talented than me and they were all unemployed," Ikaia-Purdy said.
He worked at a bank, then took voice lessons, switching from baritone to tenor.
Then he won a statewide singing competition -- the prize was six weeks study with Carlo Bergonzi in Italy. Bergonzi invited him to join the company for several summer performances.
The Wiesbaden Opera later offered him a role in "La Traviata," which brought him an offer from the Hamburg Opera.
Ikaia-Purdy tries to make opera appeal to a wider audience. "So many people think you have to be highly educated or it's only for the rich. If you take time to listen, you'll find such commonality and universal enjoyment."
Perhaps an operatic recording by a local boy would help spread the musical word in Hawaii?
"Well, the Honolulu Symphony and I are talking about doing a recording maybe next year," he said. "I would like to do that for myself and for the people of Hawaii."
Symphony concert
Guest artists:Keith Ikaia-Purdy, Keali'i Reichel, George Kuo and Dennis Kamakahi
