British singers Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are among the first acts to be confirmed for a special coronation concert celebrating the king’s official crowning. The stars are set to join opera star Andrea Bocelli and bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, singer Freya Ridings, and classical composer Alexis Ffrench on stage at the concert at Windsor Castle.
According to People, the BBC has officially confirmed a slew of performers for a concert that will be held on May 7 to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation. The concert will feature global music icons and contemporary stars, and 20,000 people will be able to see it live on the BBC and online.
Organizers have said they want the event to be a chance for people to celebrate a new era in Britain’s history, and Buckingham Palace has organized three days of events in honor of the new monarch. The king’s formal coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, followed by a televised concert at Windsor Castle on the following day.
The concert will be filmed, broadcast, and produced by BBC Studios Productions. In addition to the main acts, there will also be a 300-member Coronation Choir, made up of amateur singers from across the UK.
A drone display will be used to highlight iconic locations around the country. The show will also include several other elements, such as lasers and a projection of the royal family.
Other events will include the Coronation Big Lunch street parties and the Big Help Out that promotes local volunteering on May 8. The coronation is a chance for British citizens to celebrate a new chapter in their lives as the king takes up the mantle from Queen Elizabeth II.
Katy Perry and Lionel Richie have ties to the king’s charitable foundations, with Perry being an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and Richie being a global ambassador. And they will both be performing at the royal celebration, which is set to be a “once-in-a-generation occasion” that will be televised worldwide, the BBC said in a statement.
The list of performers is expected to grow, but the BBC says it will be a “world-class line-up” reflecting the king’s “passion for classical music.” And it will showcase some of the country’s most beloved sites.
It will be held at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 7 – the day after Charles is officially crowned king. Thousands of public members and guests will be able to watch the show live on the BBC, and millions more will tune in from home.
As part of the celebration, neighbors and communities will be invited to host thousands of “big coronation lunches,” billed as a national act of celebration and friendship.
The event will also allow the public to get involved with a drone display similar to the one at the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In addition, the show will include other events like the RNLI sea shanty choir, farmers, and cab drivers.