Mariinsky Theatre soloist Yekaterina Semenchuk will be performing at the wedding of HRH Charles Prince of Wales and Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles. During the church blessing of the newlyweds at St George´s Chapel, Windsor Castle, the young Russian singer will perform the Orthodox Symbol of Faith to music by Alexander Grechaninov with the chapel choir. It is one of the Prince´s favourite pieces of music, and was performed in 2003 at St George´s Chapel by the Mariinsky Theatre Chorus at his request at an evening in memory of the late Queen Mother. Yekaterina Semenchuk is travelling to the UK especially to take part in the marriage ceremony and her performance will be a wedding present from the Mariinsky Theatre, of which Prince Charles is both Patron and Trustee. Her performance has been organised with assistance from the Mariinsky Theatre Trust, UK, which celebrates its tenth birthday this year.

Yekaterina Semenchuk enjoys great popularity in the United Kingdom, particularly after she became a finalist at the 2001 World Competition of Young Singers in Cardiff, Wales. Prince Charles was able to judge Yekaterina Semenchuk´s skills at the London premiere of Valery Gergiev, Andrei Konchalovsky and George Tsypin´s famous production of War and Peace at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2000, when Yekaterina sang as Sonya and Anna Netrebko as Natasha Rostova with Valery Gergiev conducting. Yekaterina Semenchuk is both flattered by and anxious at the proposal: "It is a great honour for me. Of course I am nervous, it is a great responsibility, I am representing not just the Mariinsky Theatre but all of Russia - I will be the only Russian performer at the celebrations. I never thought I would be taking part in an event on such a scale. I hope I will justify people´s trust in me."

Katia Senenchuk´s concert dress for the performance has been provided by Ede and Ravenscroft who are official tailors for Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II. They have an extensive programme for supporting outstanding young students and give scholarships to several young singers of the Mariinsky Academy. They supported Ekaterina Semenchuk in her first years at the Mariinsky Young Singers´ Academy.

Accomodation for Ekaterina Semenchuk in London is being provided by City Inn Westminster, a new award-winning hotel in London. City Inn generously supported the Mariinsky´s Beslan Concert for the Future last November by providing accomodation for the whole company.

Immediately after her return from London Yekaterina Semenchuk will continue rehearsals for a new production of the opera Carmen, in which she is to perform the title role. The premiere will take place at the Mariinsky Theatre in late April.