WELLINGTON - Organizers of the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in New Zealand are promising a multicultural extravaganza with a "special Pacific flavor" at the grand opening ceremony next week.

The ceremony to be attended by Pacific heads of state in Auckland for the Pacific Islands Forum ?will tell the story of New Zealand and its "unique place in the Pacific," organizers said Friday at an event to unveil aspects of the opening.

Around 1,000 performers will appear in the ceremony, which will begin at 7:30 pm New Zealand time on September 9, and be watched by an estimated television audience of more than 50 million people around the world.

"The performance will sum up the cosmopolitan character of our young nation with singers of Maori, Pakeha (non-Maori New Zealanders), Samoan, Fijian, Cook Island, Niuean, Tongan, Tokelauan, Australian, Chinese, Korean, English, Irish, Danish, American, Canadian, Dutch, South African and Indian descent," said Martin Snedden, chief executive of Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011).

"We promise all fans, at Eden Park, and those watching from afar, a night to remember," said Snedden.

After the ceremony, host nation New Zealand will compete with Tonga in the opening match at 8:30 pm.

"It is the perfect double bill ?a spectacular opening ceremony, the likes of which New Zealand sports fans will not have experienced in this country, coupled with two great Pacific nations kicking off rugby's showpiece tournament."

The ceremony would also be the first opportunity for New Zealand fans to see "dazzling" video projection technology not seen on such a scale before in New Zealand, said Snedden.

An as-yet unnamed New Zealand sporting legend would also have a special role.

"Rest assured he or she will play a pivotal role in the ceremony," said Snedden.

"There will also be special recognition of Christchurch, which lost its role as a host city for RWC 2011 following February's tragic earthquake."

More than 400 singers would perform a "unique interpretation" of the official tournament song, "World in Union," at the ceremony, which would be "a powerful tribute" to the country's creative skills, he said.

"Some of our finest talent have been working hard to show the world why we are such a skilled and innovative country so this is their chance to shine on the world stage. We have drawn on many of our best choreographers, costume designers, set builders, musicians and many others, plus a cast of 1,000 volunteer performers who have given up their time to be part of this amazing show."

The ceremony had been organized by live event company David Atkins Enterprises, which had staged opening events for the Vancouver Winter Olympics and Sydney Olympic Games.

Rugby World Cup Ltd. chairman Bernard Lapasset said the ceremony would set the tone for a "very special and successful" tournament.

"The ceremony will be a celebration of New Zealand and its rich cultural and rugby heritage, the history of the game and the values that binds it together. It promises to be spectacular and I can't wait to see it," said Lapasset.

About 4,000 tickets to the event are still available, said Snedden.

RNZ 2011 was established in 2006 as the organization responsible for the planning and delivery of RWC 2011 on behalf of its shareholders, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the New Zealand government.

The Rugby World Cup, the third largest sports event in the world, first kicked off in 1987 and is held every four years. In 2007, the sixth tournament was held in France and broadcast to a total worldwide audience of more than four billion.