Dame Malvina Major says her retirement from opera singing will lead to less pressure in her life.
Dame Malvina Major sings at the State Funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary in 2008. Photo: Getty Images
The 72-year-old said as she had grown older, she had found it harder to cope with the stress she faced before a performance.
Dame Malvina said stepping down was the right decision.
"You got to be A+, and I've put that stress on myself, I know, because I don't want to do anything that isn't absolutely of the highest quality. I expect that of my students and I expect that of myself."
Dame Malvina, a Hamilton native, will continue to be a Professor of Voice at Waikato University.
