Coronation concert: first wave of performers announced

The BBC has revealed the first wave of artists who will perform at The Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle on 7 May. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and pianist-composer Alexis Ffrench will be joined by pop artists Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Freya Ridings.

Ffrench, Bocelli and Terfel are in the first group of artists revealed as part of the full line-up for the concert, with more performers due to be announced in the coming weeks. They will perform for The King and The Queen and their guests as well as for a public audience of 20,000 in the televised concert celebrating themes of ‘love, respect and optimism’.

BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said, ‘We are bringing the nation together for this once in a generation occasion, broadcast exclusively across the BBC live from Windsor Castle. We have a world class line up of performers to look forward to for what promises to be a very special night of celebration and entertainment.’

The artists will be joined by a 70-piece orchestra and house band made up of the Massed Bands of the Household Division and the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra as well as The Coronation Choir. The choir will be composed of amateur singers and community choirs of all genres from across the UK and will perform alongside The Virtual Choir, made up of singers from across the Commonwealth.

Andrea Bocelli will perform a duet with Sir Bryn Terfel as part of the concert. Terfel will also perform at The King's coronation service at Westminster Abbey the day before the concert. Alongside the Choir of Westminster Abbey, Terfel will perform 'Coronation Kyrie', a new work composed by Paul Mealor specially for the occasion.

The recipient of six Grammy Award nominations and six Classical BRITs including the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award in 2002, 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.’

Pianist Alexis Ffrench will be joined by singer-songwriter Freya Ridings for a duet performance. As well as pioneering his ‘classical soul’ sound, Ffrench is the first ever artistic director of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) as well as serving as a governor and trustee of the Royal Academy of Music.

Ffrench said, ‘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.’