Amici forever
The theme song for BBC Sport’s Olympic coverage is a powerful and invigorating song performed by the platinum-selling opera band Amici forever. Appropriately, with the Olympics returning to Greece this year, 'Olympia : Eternal Flame' is sung mainly in Greek by the five piece.
'Olympia : Eternal Flame' was written specifically for the 2004 Olympics and was performed by Amici forever for the first time at the Olympic Torch Ceremony in London to a rapturous reception.
The music will be played literally hundreds of times on BBC Sport throughout August and Amici forever will also be performing the song live as they support Cliff Richard on his UK tour and perform with both the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and British Philharmonic Orchestra at open air concerts this summer.
'Olympia : Eternal Flame' will be added as a bonus track to Amici forever’s album ‘The Opera Band’ from August 30th. The album has remained in the top 10 of the UK Classical Charts for 44 weeks and has been certified double platinum in New Zealand, gold in Australia and UK and debuted at number 2 in the US Classical Charts.
Amici forever: "We are delighted to be involved in such a major national and sporting occasion and to have the opportunity to perform such a beautiful and fitting piece in our own unique style. Our first performances together as a band were at international sports events and we are so proud and honoured that little more than a year later we have been given such a remarkable opportunity. Since Pavarotti and the World Cup, there's been a strong link between global sports events and music and having already sung the Champions League Anthem it's fabulous to be continuing this tradition with 'Olympia : Eternal Flame'.”
Amici forever are Jo Appleby – Soprano, from Lancashire; Tsakane Valentine - Soprano, from South Africa; Geoff Sewell – Tenor, from New Zealand, Boston Conservatory; David Habbin – Tenor, from Bournemouth; and Nick Garrett – Bass-Baritone, from North London.
