London’s Royal Opera House Welcomes World Cup with 'Nessun Dorma'

The Royal Opera House celebrated the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at London's Covent Garden on Thursday. Transforming the venue's Davies Terrace into an open-air stage, acclaimed operatic tenor Sok Jong Baek joined forces with the Royal Opera Chorus to deliver a soaring rendition of Giacomo Puccini's classic aria, Nessun Dorma. This aria is not just a famous aria, it has a story of hope and ambition and courage which reflects the World Cup. Every player, every nation, they are playing for their biggest stage, I think it reflects each other very well. Well you can't start a World Cup without having a Nessun Dorma. Ever since Italia 1990 and Luciano Pavarotti, that wonderful goalkeeper and amazing tenor, smashing it out of the park, it's kind of symbolised the World Cup. And we have in Sok Jong Baek, without doubt, one of the top two people on the planet singing this iconic song, and as he used to be a centre-forward himself, we simply couldn't resist it. So to get out there with the chorus, all in their shirts, their favourite shirts, belting out this iconic song, what better way of starting a World Cup campaign. The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins its highly-anticipated month-long tournament this week.