Underwear Vs. Classical Music

Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa refused to appear with John Farnham in a 2005 concert tour. When sued by the concert promoter for breach of contract, Dame Kiri won.

A clash of performance cultures resulted in a lawsuit, and the classical music representative won.

Back in 2005, New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was scheduled to appear with Australian rock star John Farnham in a joint concert touring across their native countries. When she watched a promotional DVD of Farnham's performances, she discovered that his fans threw their underwear on the stage. Unable to condone a practice entirely inconsistent with classical music performance etiquette, she refused to appear with the rock star and canceled her end of the tour.

The concert promoters Leading Edge Events sued Dame Kiri for losses sustained on publicity costs and ticket sales. However, New South Wales Supreme Court Judge Patricia Bergin ruled that negotiations between Dame Kiri's agents and Leading Edge had not yet reached a finalized stage at the time of Dame Kiri's refusal. Accordingly the claim was turned down.

The final verdict on Underwear Vs. Classical Music? We find the defendant not guilty, your honor.

For further information, read the BBC Story.