Joyce DiDonato sings The Star-Spangled Banner
As the USA celebrates Independence Day 2016, we’re reminiscing about a pivotal moment in the world of Major League Baseball (and opera, of course) as star mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato took to the stage to perform The Star-Spangled Banner during the 2014 World Series.
Joyce, an avid baseball fan, was initially asked to perform during the sixth game of the series, but was forced to turn the request down due to a prior commitment – teaching a middle school music masterclass.
Her vocal social media following, bolstered by fans of the Kansas City Royals baseball team, created a petition, using the hashtag #LetJoyceSing, calling for her to be invited to perform during the seventh game, in front of her home crowd.
The performance — a departure from her roles on the opera stage — made it to the top of the Wall Street Journal’s ’10 Best Arts and Sports Moments’. Fellow opera star Renée Fleming also made the list, as she took sports fans by storm earlier that year with her performance of the American national anthem at the 2014 Super Bowl — the first opera singer ever to do so.
Watch the video at the following link