I’m delighted to be taking part in this unique event, celebrating the best of musical entertainment in honour of His Majesty’s coronation."
As part of the Coronation Concert, The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera, the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal College of Music and The Royal College of Art will come together for the first time ever to create a spectacular one-off performance featuring Ncuti Gatwa and Mei Mac. Based around themes of love and togetherness, the piece will combine music, dance, art and theatre in what will be the ultimate Royal collaboration.
At the centre of the show, the Royal Shakespeare Company will perform excerpts from a Shakespeare play, featuring Ncuti Gatwa, who received an Ian Charleson Commendation for his role of Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Home Theatre Manchester and played Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Mei Mac, Olivier Award nominee for My Neighbour Totoro.
The Royal patronages will perform a beautiful arrangement of a classic song from West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by members of the Royal Opera Chorus. Principal dancers with The Royal Ballet, Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé, will also perform a bespoke piece of choreography for the occasion.
The visual backdrop projected on to Windsor Castle and the stage will showcase artworks by students from The Royal College of Art. Alongside the other performers, a string quartet of four Royal College of Music students will perform as soloists: Katherine Yoon and Betania Johnny on violin, Declan Wicks on viola and Marion Portelance on cello, who will be playing a cello once owned and played by His Majesty, now in the collection of The Royal College of Music.
Ncuti performed at the Globe for 2 years under director Emma Rice and producer Kneehigh Theatre. Ncuti also performed at Dundee Rep Theatre and in his time there performed in rep across six different plays including Hecuba, And Then There Were None and Victoria.
The concert will be hosted by renowned actor Hugh Bonneville, who has starred in numerous popular TV series and films including Downton Abbey, The Gold, Twenty Twelve, W1A, Notting Hill and the Paddington films. Hugh will set the scene for the evening’s entertainment as the artists prepare for their performances and introduce them as they take to the stage.
He says: "I’m delighted to be taking part in this unique event, celebrating the best of musical entertainment in honour of His Majesty’s coronation. In true British style, come rain or shine it will be a night to remember."
It will take place in the grounds of Windsor Castle on 7 May, celebrating the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen in front of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests and will be broadcast to the nation on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, as well as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.