Operastar to football star: Darius to lead Tartan Army anthem
The Corries Ronnie Brown will no doubt be an interested onlooker when Darius Campbell leads the Tartan Army in singing Flower of Scotland at Hampden next week.
Folk singer Ronnie normally does the pre-match anthem honours before Scotland games. And a fine job the bearded, kilt wearing, patriotic Scot does too.
But as new national manager Craig Levein leads the national team out for the first time, it seems SFA beaks have decided to ring the changes on the anthem front too.
Popstar to Operastar winner Darius Campbell, better known as Darius Danesh, has been invited to raise the roof and inspire our boys to victory next Wednesday when he belts out Flower of Scotland ahead of the friendly against the Czech Republic.
Proud Scot Darius, who beat out Nolan Sisters singer Bernie Nolan to win the ITV opera talent show last weekend admits he’s looking forward to representing his country.
He told The Sun: “I’m so thrilled. The word “honour” just doesn’t do it justice. It’s not a bad homecoming being asked to sing in front of 50,000 people at Hampden. It doesn’t get better than that.”
SFA chiefs decided to invite Darius to perform after his triumph on the show last weekend.
The Scottish singer, whose hits include Colourblind, sang an aria from The Marriage Of Figaro and performed a duet with his mentor Rolando Villazon.
Other contestants included Blur bassist Alex James and Jimmy Osmond.
But will the 29 year-old reality TV and West End musical star be tempted to deliver our national footie anthem Macopera stylee and give England World Cup staple Nessun dorma a run for its money?
Probably not. Although Celtic fans in the crowd would no doubt welcome a burst or two from the Barber of Seville. While Tartan Army bluenoses would be more than happy singing along to The Magic Flute, but given financial constraint at Rangers might not be so keen on hearing anything from The Beggar’s Opera.
Then there are Scotland fans who’ll be travelling down from the granite city for the game who would no doubt be partial to a bit of Don Giovanni, not to mention Jambos coming West from Edinburgh who would hope Darius could find houseroom for an aria or two from Hamish MacCunn’s Jeannie Deans, which is based on Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Heart Of Midlothian.
Still at least Darius doesn’t have to worry about brushing up on Benjamin Britten chamber opera The Turn Of The Screw. Apparently that’s being adopted by Chelsea.
