Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles have chosen a young Russian contralto to perform at a church blessing, after their civil wedding.
Ekaterina Semenchuk, 29, has been flown over specially from St Petersburg to sing a Russian Creed.
Members of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the St George's Chapel Choir, will also perform at the blessing, at St George's Chapel, Windsor.
It will follow a civil wedding ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall, on 8 April.
Wedding gift
Ekaterina Semenchuk, who was a finalist in the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2001, will sing a Russian Creed set to music by Gretchaninov.
She has been flown over specially for the wedding, as a gift from the Mariinsky Theatre Trust of St Petersburg, of which the Prince of Wales is patron and a benefactor.
Clarence House says a combination of choral and orchestral music will be played during the Service of Prayer and Dedication, at St George's Chapel.
The music for the blessing has been chosen by the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles.
It includes some of their favourite pieces, such as Bach's Cantata "Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland", and excerpts from Handel's Water Music.
They have chosen a number of organ and choral pieces for the beginning of the service, including Farewell to Stromness, by the Master of the Queen's Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
Works by Walton, Bach, Handel, Elgar, Finzi and Grieg, are also included.
Personal favourites
The newlywed Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles - by then the Duchess of Cornwall - will join the congregation to the Adagio Movement of Albinoni's Oboe Concerto in D Minor.
Three hymns, which are among the personal favourites of the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles, will be sung.
They are Immortal Invisible, Love Divine All Loves Excelling, and Praise my Soul the King of Heaven.
A verse of the National Anthem will be sung after the concluding blessing, followed immediately by a specially-commissioned "Celebration Fanfare", by the Welsh composer Alun Hoddinott.
The service will conclude with excerpts from Handel's Water Music, and from works by Bach for organ.
The Philharmonia Orchestra, of which the Prince is patron, will be conducted by Christopher Warren-Green.
The organist for the service will be Roger Judd, and the St George's Chapel Choir will be conducted by Timothy Byram-Wigfield.
The choir, which was founded in 1348, is made up of 23 boy choristers and 12 Lay Clerks, who sing the alto, tenor and bass parts.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©