ONE of the world's finest opera singers yesterday received an honorary award from a North-East university for her outstanding contribution to the arts and entertainment.

An honorary doctorate of music was conferred on Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at a special ceremony, by the Chancellor of the University of Sunderland, Lord Puttnam.

The soprano gained worldwide fame almost overnight after her debut as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in 1971.

She sang solo at the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana at St Paul's Cathedral, in 1981, to one of the largest audiences in history, estimated to have been more than 600 million people.

Last year, she sang at Buckingham Palace in celebration of the Queen's Jubilee.

In January this year, she performed at Craggy Range, New Zealand, alongside Sir Edmund Hilary, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ascent of Everest.

She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1982, invested with the Order of Australia in 1990 and the Order of New Zealand in 1995.

Dame Kiri was born in New Zealand and carries the blood of native Maori aristocracy. By the time she was 20 she had won all the major vocal prizes available in the South Pacific

Professor Peter Fidler, university vice-chancellor, said: "We are privileged to honour a towering figure from the world of opera - one of its most famous sopranos who has been at the very peak of her profession for more than 30 years.

"Dame Kiri's contribution to the arts and entertainment has been truly immense and we are delighted that we can pay our own tribute to her."

Dame Kiri performs a Christmas Gala with Northern Sinfonia at Newcastle City Hall tonight.