REBECCA Newman, the chart-topping People's Soprano from York, will be leading the singing in the 25th anniversary Castle Howard Proms on Saturday night.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this year’s special anniversary Proms Spectacular concert," says Rebecca. "Performing some of my favourite songs in the stunning grounds of Castle Howard will be truly memorable. I'll be singing alongside tenor John Pierce, who won Cardiff Young Singer of the World in 2011, and together we'll be performing all of the classic Proms songs, so there are sure to be a few crowd pleasers.”

The evening will feature such familiar favourites as Habanera, Granada, With A Song In My Heart and Nessun Dorma, concluding with conductor Jae Alexander leading the orchestra and Rebecca through rousing renditions of Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and Pomp And Circumstance No.1.

Castle Howard Proms is celebrating its silver anniversary this summer and will form part of a Summer Sounds weekend that will begin with boogie-woogie pianist Jools Holland & His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and special guest Marc Almond tomorrow.

York Press:

Rebecca Newman, the "People's Soprano", at Castle Howard

Rebecca has progressed from busking on York's streets to becoming the first unsigned soprano to top the Official UK Classical Albums Chart last year with Dare To Dream, a record she made with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, funded entirely by her fanbase.

Since then, her 2015 diary has been typically eventful, highlighted by singing with tenor Alfie Boe. "I first met Alfie Boe at the Classic Brits in 2013. He tweeted his congratulations when my album went to number 1 and told me he did indeed have my album and his favourite track was Casta Diva," she recalls.

"I think he was particularly impressed because I got the number one album, above major label releases that week, with no record label behind me and no national media exposure before the release. It was done just by busking on the streets of Yorkshire and across the UK for almost ten years."

Alfie suggested they should aim to sing together this year and he was true to his word at his Millennium Square concert in Leeds on July 24. "I told him I was coming to watch his show in Leeds, which he was hosting just hours before flying out to the USA for six months to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables on Broadway. It would be the last chance for some time," says Rebecca.

"So, during a chat earlier in the day when we came to say hello, he invited me to join him for a duet of Come What May...without the chance for a soundcheck or rehearsal. I’m used to ‘busking’ it, but this was on another level."

This year had already been "a bit crazy", reveals Rebecca, "I had a four-month, 50-date tour of the UK with Russell Watson, who invited me on tour with him from March to July. We first shared the bill in Yorkshire at the Bluebell Hotel, Burton Agnes, where he was particularly impressed that I was singing original song as well as the popular crossover classical repertoire," she says.

"When I got the number one spot, he sent his congratulations and we kept in touch. I’m so grateful for him for taking me under his wing and I learnt so much from the process of touring with him, playing to 50,000 people. We sang The Prayer together and people said we had fantastic chemistry and sincerity."

On July 18, Rebecca discussed National Buskers Day on BBC Breakfast and the following morning she performed a live session on Sir Terry Wogan's Weekend Wogan show on BBC Radio 2. "I performed my summer single, Dare To Dream, the title track that I wrote for my album, and the operatic aria O Mio Babbino Caro," she says.

"Sir Terry said on air that they’d received the most mail about any guest who was going to appear on the show. I used a live string quartet to ensure the sound was the best it could be, one of whom I met while busking in York when he was studying at Leeds University."

Rebecca was interviewed by the Irish broadcasting veteran too. "I was so very excited to meet Terry and sing live on the show. I grew up watching Wogan on TV and this was my first live performance and interview on national radio. I couldn't wait to get into the studio," she says.

That weekend, the album stormed back into the classical chart at number 14. Looking ahead, Rebecca will perform at a couple of G4's concerts on their autumn reunion tour and she is soon to launch her Christmas community song project in aid of Socks And Chocs. "It's a West Midlands homeless charity that I've become a patron for, and I'm hoping to take its message out to the nation to help it expand. You can read more about it at socksandchocs.co.uk," she says.

After last month's Millennium Square duet with Alfie Boe, could there be further performances together in the pipeline? "Alfie says he’s keen to sing with me again, which would be fantastic," says Rebecca. "Perhaps I’ll have more notice next time. His fans definitely seem keen to see it happen."

Rebecca Newman performs at Castle Howard Proms, Castle Howard, near York, on Saturday. Gates open at 5pm; pre-concert performance starts at 6.15pm; Proms programme at 7.30pm. The concert will finish at approximately 10.30pm. Box office: 0844 871 8819, at castlehowardconcerts.com or seetickets.com or on the day.