FILE - This Dec. 6, 2013 file photo shows Renee Fleming performing at the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony across from the White House in Washington. Fleming, a four-time Grammy winner, will perform sing the national anthem before the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Feb 2. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
January 21, 2014 - 10:40 AM
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Super Bowl will have a touch of the classical this year: Opera star Renee Fleming will sing the national anthem.
The four-time Grammy winner will perform before the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Feb 2. Fleming is the first opera star to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. In recent years, it has been performed mainly by a mix of pop and country stars.
Known as "The People's Diva," the soprano is closely identified with the New York City region, having spent years singing on iconic stages such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Last year, she received the National Medal of Arts, the highest honour the government gives to artists.
Fleming, who lives in New York City, sang the national anthem before Game 2 of the 2003 World Series at Yankee Stadium.
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News from © The Associated Press, 2014