Opera star wins "underwear throwing" case
SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who refused to perform with an Australian singer because his female fans threw underwear at him, on Wednesday won a lawsuit against her for pulling out of the concert.
The New Zealand soprano pulled out of a series of concerts with Australian rock singer John Farnham in 2005 after watching a DVD in which female fans threw underwear at him on stage.
The promoter of the concert sued Dame Kiri in the New South Wales Supreme Court, claiming A$2 million (US$1.6 million) in damages for breaching her contract.
During the case, Dame Kiri told the court that she was embarrassed by the underwear throwing and found it offensive that Farnham collected them as "some sort of trophy."
She said it would be disrespectful to her if she performed.
Judge Patricia Bergin dismissed the case against Dame Kiri on Wednesday, ruling the promoter failed to establish its case, reported local media from the court in Sydney.
But the judge ruled that the company which employed the soprano should pay the concert promoter A$128,000 for costs.
($1=A$1.24)
