Placido Domingo is to sing an unprecedented duet in Arabic with an Egyptian singer at a concert in Dubai next month.

He will perform with Ali al-Hajjar on 12 December, despite tensions in the region over the relaunch of weapons inspections in Iraq.

Concert promoter Sheikh Faisal bin Khaled al-Qassimi said: "We want to prove that Dubai is a safe place whatever happens in the Middle East."

The city state is organising an increasing number of concerts and sports events to promote it as a major tourist draw.

With Pavarotti and Carrera, collectively the Three Tenors

Domingo, 62, who has sung in several languages in performances across the world, is promising a repertoire full of surprises at the three-hour concert.

He said: "I am aware people know me in Dubai and that there will be plenty of expectations from me.

"I hope they will not be disappointed because I have planned some unique music for them, music that soothes the soul."

Accompanied

Al-Hajjar said it was an honour to sing with Domingo, and added: "It is a day I will remember for a very long time."

Domingo will be accompanied by soprano Veronica Villarroel

Domingo will be accompanied by Veronica Villarroel, a 37-year-old Chilean soprano, who has travelled with him around the world.

He will be backed up by the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra. The opera star - one of the legendary Three Tenors alongside Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti - was the first classical artist to give a solo concert in New York's Central Park.

His repertoire is wide, covering composers from Mozart to Verdi, Berlioz to Puccini.