Coronation concert: first performers announced
Andrea Bocelli, Bryn Terfel and Alexis Ffrench will join Take That, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry for the concert in the Windsor Castle grounds
Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, opera star Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel and classical-soul composer/producer Alexis Ffrench are some of the artists who will grace the stage at The Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May.
They are part of an eclectic line-up of artists who will perform at the event celebrating the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen in front of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests, as well as millions watching and listening at home – on BBC One and BBC iPlayer as well as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Further names are due to be announced shortly.
Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel will perform a duet for the concert.
Bocelli said: 'I have had the great honour of singing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions. It is now another great honour to be asked to perform at the Coronation Concert of King Charles III. My joy and excitement is multiplied as I have the chance to duet with my dear friend and superb baritone, Sir Bryn Terfel, performing an iconic song of love and collective solidarity.'
Elsewhere, the classical composer, producer and pianist Alexis Ffrench will perform a duet with singer/songwriter Freya Ridings. A passionate advocate for music education, Ffrench serves as a governor and trustee of the Royal Academy of Music, as well as being the first artistic director of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He also co-presented the 2022 BBC Young Musician of the Year final.
The artists will be backed by world-class musicians including a 70-piece orchestra and house band comprising the Massed Bands of the Household Division and the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra.
Alongside the stars of the concert, the show will also see an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir. This diverse group will be created from the nation’s keenest community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom, such as the Portishead RNLI sea shanty choir, farmers, cab drivers and reggae choirs. The Coronation Choir will appear alongside The Virtual Choir, made up of singers from across the Commonwealth, for a special performance on the night.
The centrepiece of the Coronation Concert, ‘Lighting up the Nation’, will see the country join together in celebration as iconic locations across the United Kingdom are lit up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
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The concert, produced by BBC Studios Productions, will be broadcast live from the grounds of Windsor Castle on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. It will feature a broad mix of music spanning pop to classical, along with spoken word and dance performances reflecting arts and culture from around the UK and the wider Commonwealth.
Authors
Steve has been an avid listener of classical music since childhood, and now contributes a variety of features to BBC Music’s magazine and website. He started writing about music as Arts Editor of an Oxford University student newspaper and has continued ever since, serving as Arts Editor on various magazines.
