"And then this guy behind me just whacked Nic, like really hit her, with the programme."
Urban said an extremely shocked Kidman looked over at him and her mother Janelle and said: "He just hit me!"
I was like: "What?! Violence at the opera!"
"It's a bit of a pickle I was in because I'm a husband and you want to defend your wife but it took a lot of restraint. I was pretty upset," he said.
Urban also explained how he had never been to the opera before, and was unaware standing ovations were not allowed.
"We did not know you are not supposed to stand in the opera. Having not been to the opera before ever in my life, I am sensitive to the etiquette," he said.
Police were reportedly called to the Sydney Opera House last month after a man "swatted" actress Nicole Kidman with a programme.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney section last month, witnesses allege a man in the audience of The Merry Widow grew agitated when Urban jumped to his feet to give the performance a standing ovation.
When Kidman joined her husband – along with the rest of the audience – in cheering on the cast, the man behind them allegedly began a heated exchange with the pair.
According to onlookers, Urban told the man he was simply appreciating the cast's talent, but things took a turn when the disgruntled audience member angrily "swatted" Kidman with his programme, leading Urban to accuse him of assaulting his wife.
The couple were then escorted out of a side door by Urban's security guards, and police were called to the venue, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Police media confirmed officers attended the Opera House that night after reports of an argument.
"Police have been told a 53-year-old man and a 67-year-old man were both attending the entertainment centre when an argument broke out. Officers spoke to both men and no further action was taken," NSW police said in a statement.
Kidman and Urban reportedly did not press charges against the man.
