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22 January 2014, 12:58
Soprano Renée Fleming is set to serenade millions as she performs The Star-Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl final in New Jersey.
Soprano Renée Fleming has been confirmed as the first opera singer to perform in the Super Bowl's high-profile anthem slot. Fleming's publicist has said that it has yet to be decided if she will sing a cappella or accompanied.
The singing of The Star-Spangled Banner at the event has been traditionally dominated by pop acts, with Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys some of the performers in recent years.
It won't be the first time that Fleming has been associated with a major sporting event - in 2008 she performed arias during the Beijing Olympics. The star of the Metropolitan Opera will be sharing the stage with Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who will be performing during the game's famed halftime show.
She will be giving her vocal cords the patriotic workout on the turf at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium before a capacity crowd of 82,500. During last year's Super Bowl, a recorded 164.1 million Americans tuned in to watch the event.