A date was finally announced today for the long-awaited reopening of the Brighton Dome.

The well-loved city theatre will reopen on February 24 after a £22 million refurbishment project.

The relaunch line-up will boast a glittering array of international stars, including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jack Dee and Miriam Makeba.

Nigel Kennedy will be playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons - the piece which made his name - with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Brighton's home-grown stage sensation, Stomp, will also be performing in the newly renovated theatre, which has space for 1850 people.

The Dome's chief executive, Nick Dodds, said the theatre would now rival any performing space in the UK.

At a Press launch in the Royal Pavilion, Mr Dodds said: "The facilities, line-up and acoustic quality will all rank with the best venues in the country."

In an exclusive interview with The Argus, one of the original members of the Stomp troupe said he was delighted to be performing in Brighton again.

Theseus Gerard, who lives in the Seven Dials area, said: "It's good to be included on the new programme. I can't think of any other big show from Brighton, so it is quite a triumph for everyone that we're there.

"The company that's touring England in Spring doesn't involve any of the original people from Brighton, but I must say when it comes here, a few of us will muscle our way in to do some home shows."

The refurbishment programme was funded with a £15 million grant from the Arts Council of England with additional cash from Brighton and Hove Council, the Single Regeneration Budget and private donors. It has been three years in the making, with the last performance staged in 1999.

Although the planned relaunch was due in September, the theatre hit structural problems in February which meant it wouldn't be ready in time.

However, Nick Dodds is delighted the theatre will reopen in time for the Spring season and for the Brighton Festival.

It is set to open its doors at a similar time to Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, ensuring the months of February and March will see an unrivalled renaissance in the city's arts scene.

The box office number to book tickets for any of the shows mentioned above, or to enquire about details, will be 01273 709 709.