Sunshine out and hemlines up for Bocelli spectacle

IF Andrea Bocelli’s star could have been eclipsed last night, the weather would have been the only contender.

Sparkling sunshine, high style and flowing champagne proved the trademarks of the sell-out concert in Cork's Collins' Barracks.

The talk was all of the brilliant rays, which gave the event which took almost 15 months to plan and execute an extra sheen.

Some of the 10,000-strong crowd who marched into Europe's largest military parade ground quaffed chilled champagne at €50 a bottle or €7.50 a glass from champagne bars, while others settled for less extravagant ways to cool down.

Early arrivals would have caught a brief glimpse of Bocelli, sporting a blazer and scarf, being escorted across the grounds as the Czech National Symphony Orchestra went through their paces.

The Italian star was almost certainly the only person thus attired, as most took the opportunity to raise their hemlines, cast off their jackets and don dark sunglasses. So far, so Italian.

Among those claiming credit for the heat was Church of Ireland Bishop Rev Paul Colton, who joked that he and Bishop John Buckley always agree to share the plaudits for such unexpected blessings.

Bishop Colton was among 80 guests at a reception at the Officers' Mess in Collins' Barracks.

General Pat Nash hosted the party, which was attended by Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin, Lord Mayor Councillor Deirdre Clune, Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Jim Sreenan, Director of Opera 2005 Val O'Connor, Commodore Frank Lynch and his wife Janette from Douglas and Deirdre Nash from the Blackrock Road.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent conference centre, event sponsor Thomas Crosbie Holdings hosted a drinks reception for 180 guests who had earlier enjoyed a sit-down buffet at TCH headquarters on the South Mall.

TCH managing director Anthony Dinan paidtribute to the "public service" which had made the event possible and said: "Cork can be very proud of this occasion and I hope we see many more such events beyond 2005."

Gar Holohan of Holohan Leisure, who project-managed the event, cheerfully admitted that he thought at first it would never work, but was delighted to have been proved wrong.

Bocelli who said recently that he had learned to live with darkness lit up the skies of Cork last night.

After the spectacular beneath the stars, he flew to Dublin by private jet where he will perform in Malahide Castle on Sunday.