A star-studded line-up of musical performances have been confirmed to play at the Coronation Concert. Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, opera stars Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryan Terfel and singer/songwriter Freya Ridings will top the bill for the show in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May alongside classical-soul composer and producer Alexis Ffrench.
Alongside other names which will be announced in due course, the musicians will perform in front of an audience of 20,000 on the East Lawn of the castle at the celebratory show, which will be broadcast live on the BBC and takes place the day after the King and Queen Consort's coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
Take That's appearance on the bill continues a warm relationship the band have established with the royal family. Supporters of The Prince's Trust, they have regularly appeared at the Royal Variety Performance, while frontman Gary Barlow curated 2012’s Diamond Jubilee concert for the late Queen at Buckingham Palace.
© GettyGary and his bandmates Mark Owen and Howard Donald said: "This will be our first live show since the Odyssey Tour, four years ago in 2019, and what a stage to come back on! A huge live band and orchestra, a choir, military drummers, the backdrop of Windsor Castle and the celebration of a new King. We can't wait."
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Katy Perry, who is engaged to British actor Orlando Bloom, has also established herself as a supporter of Charles's favourite causes; in 2020 she was appointed ambassador of The British Asian Trust, a charity founded by the then-Prince of Wales. During a reception for the Trust, the pop star revealed the then-future King's request, take a look below...
The 38-year-old ‘I Kissed a Girl’ singer, who is currently performing a sell-out residency in Las Vegas, said: "I am excited to be performing at the Coronation Concert, and helping to shine a further light on the British Asian Trust's Children’s Protection Fund, whose work includes on-ground initiatives to fundraising, with the aim to find solutions to child trafficking."
Dancing on the Ceiling singer Lionel has also previously supported the King after being appointed the first global ambassador for The Prince’s Trust in 2019. The 73-year-old hitmaker, who first found fame as part of The Commodores, said: “To share the stage with the other performers at The Coronation Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it will be an honour and a celebration.”
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© GettyWhile specific details of the concert are yet to be announced, the BBC did announce last week that Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel will perform a duet on the night.
Italian tenor Andrea 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."
Freya Ridings, who achieved international success with her song ‘Lost without You’ in 2018, will duet with Alexis. She said: "I feel truly overwhelmed and in awe of the opportunity to sing at the Coronation of His Majesty Charles III - it feels like a 'pinch me' once in a life time moment in history and I’m feeling very honoured to have been asked. Excited to be playing with a wonderful orchestra and alongside the incredible Alexis Ffrench on piano!"
© GettyAlexis added: "To have been invited to perform in the Coronation Concert held in celebration of His Majesty King Charles III is an honour of the utmost magnitude. Such moments are unequivocally iconic and exceedingly rare, and I am delighted to share the stage with the wonderfully talented Freya Ridings on this momentous occasion."
The performers will be backed by a 70-piece orchestra and a house band made up of the Massed Bands of the Household Division and the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra.
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.
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