Opera diva Dame Kiri's knickersgate

SYDNEY, Australia — Opera diva Dame Kiri Te Kanawa prevailed Wednesday in a lawsuit that sought damages from her because she had canceled appearances with an Australian pop singer after learning women threw their underwear at him on stage.

The New South Wales state Supreme Court dismissed the $1.5 million suit, brought by promotion company Leading Edge after planned concerts in 2005 with John Farnham, 57, known in Australia as "The Voice," fell through.

Judge Patricia Bergin found there was no binding contract but ordered Te Kanawa's company to pay $102,000 in costs.

The trial made headlines when Dame Kiri, 63, testified she watched a Farnham concert DVD: "I was concerned about the knickers or underpants ... being thrown at him and him collecting it and ... holding it in his hands as some sort of trophy."