Royal Wedding Music, Part 1: Will There Be An Opera Singer?

The future heirs to the monarchy.

Which singer will be chosen as soloist for the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on April 29, 2011? Dating back to the first royal wedding held at Westminster Abbey, King Henry I and Princess Matilda of Scotland back in 1100, music has become a long-held tradition in the United Kingdom for these blissful occasions. It was not until the wedding of the current Queen Elizabeth (back in 1947) that trends began to emerge, like the couple personally selecting hymns and classical music pieces for processionals and recessionals. The question on everyone's mind is whether or not William and Catherine will stick with tradition or surround their entire ceremony in a decidedly contemporary flair with performers such as Elton John, Sting and Katy Perry. Let's pretend in a perfect scenario that a singer of renown will be selected to not only enter the hearts of 1 billion viewers but also represent the art form of great singing to the world, and I am most certainly not talking about Katherine Jenkins, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Russell Watson, Susan Boyle or even the group Il Divo. Given the tradition of late, a soprano soloist

Flashback to 1981: William's parents getting hitched.

would be appropriate but which of the world's greatest opera divas could possibly perform at the royal wedding on the designated date? In a four-part series, you will find out which singers are available, a brief history of music at recent British royal weddings and a sample list of recommended selections for the special event. [Source]