BBC has announced the first major names in the line-up for The Coronation Concert. The special event, celebrating the Coronation of Their Majesties, will take place one day after the ceremony on Sunday, May 7.
Among those gracing the stage is Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel. The star, who is a Grammy, Classical BRIT and Gramophone Award winner, will perform a duet with Maestro Andrea Bocelli at the concert.
Sir Bryn said: "Having sung at numerous events that were connected to the patronages King Charles held as the Prince of Wales, it is an incredible honour to be singing now at the Coronation of His Majesty The King, Charles III. I am also delighted to be performing at the celebratory concert in Windsor, another opportunity for me to sing with my great friend and colleague, the wonderful Italian tenor, Maestro Andrea Bocelli."
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Sir Bryn Terfel has established an extraordinary career, performing regularly on the prestigious concert stages and opera houses of the world with a discography encompassing operas of Mozart, Wagner and Strauss, and has more than fifteen solo discs including Lieder, American musical theatre, Welsh songs and sacred repertory.
Terfel was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to Opera in 2003, was awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2006 and received a knighthood for his services to music in 2017.
Sir Bryn Terfel and Andrea Bocelli will be joined by Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Take That and Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench in the concert line-up, with many more acts set to be announced in due course. As well as performing at The Coronation Concert, Sir Bryn will also be performing at the ceremony itself.
The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6. Sir Bryn Terfel and the Choir of Westminster Abbey will sing Paul Mealor's 'Coronation Kyrie', which will mark the first Welsh language performance at a coronation.
On the inspiration for his composition, Mealor said: "It is a meditative, introspective piece based on a blend between Gregorian chant and ‘Cerdd Dant’ (Welsh Penillion singing – an important part of eisteddfodau). I was inspired by the great Welsh tunes– Aberystwyth, Cwm Rhondda, Ar Lan Y Môr – and the composition is coloured by the harmonies of these songs. It is a cry from the deep soul of the hills and valleys of Wales for hope, peace, love and friendship."
The official Royal Harpist and Welsh musician Alis Huws will also perform at the ceremony as part of the Coronation Orchestra for Sir Karl Jenkins' 'Tros y Garreg (Crossing the Stone)'
The palace said: "Reflecting The King’s abiding affection for and support of Welsh culture, the piece is a new arrangement of Jenkins’ beloved and emotional setting of a Welsh folk song, a luxuriant combination of harp and strings, commissioned by The then Prince of Wales over two decades ago."
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