WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Opera tenor Christopher Macchio will sing the national anthem at the before a much smaller crowd than he was expecting, a letdown with a silver lining.
The ceremony Monday has been moved indoors because temperatures are set to plummet and make it the coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years. The Capitol Rotunda holds only 600 people, while more than 250,000 guests were ticketed to view the inauguration from around the Capitol grounds.
鈥淚 was looking forward to seeing 100,000 people spread across the National Mall,鈥� Macchio, 46, said Saturday in an Associated Press interview. 鈥淯nfortunately I won鈥檛 be getting that visual while I perform, but it鈥檚 still going to be such a tremendous honor.鈥�
In fact, he said, 鈥渇rom a musical and vocal perspective, it鈥檚 actually a good thing鈥� and that the performance will remain largely the same. Extreme weather conditions are unhealthy and uncomfortable for vocalists.
Macchio first entered Trump's orbit about nine years ago when he was asked to fill in last minute for a New Year鈥檚 Eve celebration. He was such a hit that Trump asked him that night to perform at his 70th birthday party. Macchio sang at the White House memorial service in 2020 for Trump's , and that's where their friendship took hold.
Macchio performed at the Republican National Convention in July, at Trump鈥檚 in Butler, Pennsylvania, in October a few months after an assassination attempt at that site, and during his close to the election. It was after the Butler rally that Trump said to Macchio: 鈥淚鈥檒l be seeing you at the inauguration.鈥�
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 really specify what that meant,鈥� Macchio told the AP. But a few weeks later, Macchio got the call from a Trump staffer saying that the tenor was the 鈥渇irst and only choice鈥� to perform the .
sang the anthem at Joe Biden鈥檚 inauguration. Beyonc茅 performed at Barack Obama鈥檚 second swearing-in. 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� star sang it at Trump鈥檚 first inauguration.
Macchio knows that some people have negative opinions on his long association with and support of Trump. But he hopes that even those who disagree with Trump politically can appreciate the music.
鈥淔or those folks who might not have voted for President Trump, I hope that they鈥檒l give me that kind of opportunity to just listen and just really connect with the music,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l be doing the national anthem and it is meant to do honor to our great country.鈥�
Macchio hopes to be an advocate for classical music education and is in discussion with the administration how he might help in a more official capacity.
But for now, he鈥檚 focused on Monday and planned to meet this weekend with his fellow performers and and rehearse in the Capitol Rotunda.
鈥淚鈥檓 a traditionalist,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 will be delivering essentially a straightforward rendition. And the only license that I take is when it comes to the high notes. I do tend to indulge a little bit and stretch those high notes.鈥�
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
