ROYAL FAMILY
A first look at the Coronation Concert stage
The concert stage will have a clear view of Windsor Castle
As Buckingham Palace makes the final preparations for King Charles III’s coronation next Saturday, May 6, rendered images of the stage for the Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7, hosted by Hugh Bonneville, have finally been revealed, giving a first look at what the stage will look like.
The mockups show that Windsor Castle itself will serve as the stage’s backdrop, with the Eastern terrace of the castle in clear view behind the star-studded list of performers.
A Union-jack stage
The stage will be in the shape of the Union flag, with four catwalks, making up the bottom half of the flag, leading out into the audience, and will be lit up in blue, white, and red.
The final stage will also have multiple levels for the 74-piece orchestra set to accompany live performances by the like of Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Andrea Bocelli among others. The orchestra is made of up the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra, with woodwind, brass, and percussion coming from the Bands of the Household Division.
Around 20,000 people will make up the audience, which includes the royal family themselves.
Around the upper portion of the stage will be a screen that spans the circumference of the stage, and is meant to “symbolize the Crown protecting the nation”, according to the BBC.
Special guests appearances and performances at the concert
Throughout the concert, facts about the monarch will be shown on the screen, interspersed with pre-recorded video messages by Tom Cruise, Dame Joan Collins, Bear Grylls, and singer Sir Tom Jones.
The show will also have additional performances by Take That, Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, Steve Winwood and Nicole Scherzinger of ‘The Pussycat Dolls.’
A special performance by The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal College of Music and The Royal College of Art will be performed with ‘Sex Education’ and upcoming ‘Doctor Who’ star Ncuti Gatwa.
The group will perform excerpts from a Shakespeare play, with Gatwa acting with Mei Mac, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for her work in ‘My Neighbour Totoro’.
Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel and Chinese pianist Lang Lang are also set to perform for the newly-crowned king next Sunday.
When is the Coronation Concert?
The Coronation Concert will take place on Sunday, May 7, and will be broadcast on BBC Television and iPlayer, beginning at 8:00 PM U.K. time.
Outside the U.K., the concert can be watched on the BBC News channel.