10 May 2023
The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, were honoured to perform at the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May 2023.
Our very special pre-service performance, featuring music by J.S. Bach and Bruckner, opened the celebrations prior to the arrival of The King and Queen.
Our programme featured:
J. S. Bach - Magnificat (1st movement)
J. S. Bach - Ehre sei dir Gott
J. S. Bach - Singet dem Hern ein neues Lied
Bruckner - Ecce sacerdos magnus
All of the pre-service music, including our performance, is available on Coronation Music from Westminster Abbey on BBC Sounds
We were delighted that The King attended the rehearsal for our performance at the Coronation and engaged actively with our conductor and Founder John Eliot Gardiner, our General Director Rosa Solinas, and members of our Choir and Orchestra.
We were very proud that eight members of the Monteverdi Choir also sang throughout the Coronation service with The Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, and girl choristers from Truro Cathedral Choir and Methodist College Belfast, conducted by Andrew Nethsingha.
The Daily Telegraph noted, “If the Monteverdi Choir isn’t singing when I get to the gates of Heaven, I want my money back.”
The Coronation service also included performances by Bryn Terfel, Roderick Williams, Pretty Yende, the Ascension Choir, and the Coronation Orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano.
The King’s Coronation was watched by a peak TV audience of 20 million people in the UK and is the most popular broadcast of the year so far.
Following his performance at the Coronation John Eliot Gardiner was interviewed by Kirsty Young on BBC One’s The Coronation: A Day To Remember (available on BBCiPlayer) which was broadcast live from outside Buckingham Palace. John Eliot noted, “To have a head of state with that degree of passion for music is amazing.”
We are immensely grateful for the ongoing patronage of His Majesty King Charles III who has been a keen supporter and patron of the Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique ever since he attended the launch of our Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in 1999.
The Official Album of the Coronation, released by Decca Classics, which includes our performance, was available to stream and download on the day of the service and will be physically released on 15 May with a special Deluxe Collectors CD and vinyl edition to follow later this year. Every moment from the historic ceremony, which was watched by millions around the world, including all music and spoken word from the global event, as well as the pre-service music, is featured on the new album. Proceeds from the album’s sales will go to the Royal British Legion and Age UK charities. Listen here.
The Choir of Westminster Abbey - Coronation 2023. Photo: Westminster Abbey
