ROB GUEST FAREWELLED

Lucy Durack and Anthony Callea farewell their castmate

Entertainer Rob Guest has been farewelled at a "sombre" private funeral in Sydney ahead of a public memorial event in Melbourne on Monday.

Friends and family gathered at St Peter's Presbyterian Church in North Sydney on Friday for the service to farewell Guest, who died last week aged 58.

It was followed by a private burial.

One mourner, who did not wish to be named, said it was a very private affair."It was a packed church, very sombre," he said."And nobody that went is happy to talk about it because it was a very private and moving affair."

Kellie Dickerson, Guest's partner of 10 years, is understood to have been among the mourners, as was his publicist Suzie Howie, who worked with the star for 20 years.

Guest, who was best known for playing the lead in the hit production of Phantom of the Opera for most of the 90s, died in a Melbourne hospital after suffering a massive stroke.

Guest was starring in the musical Wicked, playing the Wizard of Oz, in Melbourne at the time of his death. Dickerson is the show's musical director.

Monday's public memorial event, to include a video tribute to his life, will be held at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne at 12.30pm, his publicist confirmed.Long-time friend and co-star Marina Prior, who will recount memories of Guest and read a letter from Andrew Lloyd Webber. All the Wicked cast will attend.

Others speakers will include Bert Newton, Dickerson and Wicked producer John Frost, and there will also be a recorded tribute from British theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh.ANZ chief executive Brian Hartzer is set to make a "significant announcement" in Guest's honour.

Anthony Callea will perform Now That You Have Gone.

The professional and charismatic entertainer played more than 40 roles during his career. He holds the record as the longest-playing Phantom, with a record 2,289 performances over seven years.Born in Birmingham, England, Rob Guest grew up in New Zealand, where he began his career as a singer in the pop charts. He later became an Australian citizen.