Dame Kiri came to Chichester and conquered it a lot quicker than she conquered the Dome in Brighton.

In what became a somewhat sparkling recital with pianist Julian Reynolds, the Sussex-based diva showed she still has the sizzle factor that made her world famous.

Her star quality shone through once she hit her stride with songs by Richard Strauss, Henri Duparc and Giacomo Puccini. She is still a cool starter in recital and slow to let that Kiwi warmth come across.

It might have helped had she said a few words, a greeting perhaps or an explanation of what she was about to sing, but she remained mute until her second set when she cracked a joke about her love of moving around on stage until banished from doing so by a particularly fierce music teacher.

I have always preferred Dame Kiri in opera and was certainly disappointed by her recital in Brighton earlier this year.

But on the basis of this concert, very similar to the one in Brighton, she has really won me over.