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SYDNEY - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was shocked and embarrassed when she saw Aussie rocker John Farnham collecting knickers as "some sort of trophy", during one of his concerts, the international opera star has told a Sydney court.
Leading Edge Events is suing Dame Kiri, her company, her former agent Nick Grace and his company in the NSW Supreme Court after she pulled out of a series of concerts with Farnham, scheduled for Melbourne and Sydney in 2005.
Wearing a black suit and white shirt, Dame Kri said she had met Farnham only "briefly" outside the bathroom on a plane in about 1988.
She said she had been travelling with her daughter from England to Australia when she was introduced to Farnham.
"(We met) outside the toilet in the aeroplane, that's how brief," she said.
The New Zealand-born soprano said she was concerned about performing with Farnham after watching a DVD of his Main Event farewell tour.
"I was concerned about the knickers or underpants and underwear apparel being thrown at him and him collecting it and obviously holding it in his hand as some sort of trophy," she said.
"I thought it was disrespectful."
Leading Edge Events is seeking up to A$2 million ($2.28 million) in compensation - $600,000 plus 25 per cent of the shows' potential profits.
- AAP
