Kiri to serenade at Luttrellstown Castle

The last time most Irish people will have seen Kiri Te Kanawa perform was January 1st 2000, when she greeted the sunrise at Poverty Bay, New Zealand, before a global television audience of more than one billion.

It will be a somewhat more intimate affair on July 13th next, when she serenades the sunset on the lawns of Luttrellstown Castle, West Dublin, before a crowd of about 5,000.

The high walls of the privately-owned estate should prevent the audience becoming any more global than that. And with tickets at up to €125, it will be a long way from Poverty Bay, in every sense.

Apart from a pink polo-neck, New Zealand's second-most famous export was dressed appropriately in all-black for a press conference at the castle yesterday to announce the event. She even inquired about the progress of the Irish rugby team, and offered a master-class from the experts. Clearly, nobody had told her the fate of the last New Zealander who made his services available to the IRFU.

There was an awkward moment too when a reporter asked her if this would be her first performance in Ireland. The question provoked a sharp intake of breath which, given the lung capacity of a top soprano, temporarily altered the air pressure in the room. Then, showing admirable restraint for a diva, she pointed out that she was far from a stranger to these shores.

Her last concert in Dublin was in 1995 at the Point, and she also helped open Belfast's Waterfront Hall in 1997. But Luttrellstown promises a new experience for Irish fans. The castle and its 560-acre estate are not normally open to the public, and accompanying the dame on the lawns will be a full orchestra, under conductor Robin Stapleton.

Asked about the longevity of her career - her breakthrough to the international opera scene was in 1971 - the singer said she lived a "healthy lifestyle" and hadn't made "too many mistakes".

Whether performing an outdoor concert in an Irish summer proves to be a mistake, time will tell. But coming form the Land of the Long White Cloud, Ms Te Kanawa should be prepared for all eventualities. The sunrise at Poverty Bay was largely obscured too.

Tickets for the Dublin event go on sale on Thursday, April 4th, priced €125, €78, and €55 including booking fee, and available from all Ticketmaster outlets.