Hayley Westenra Records World in Union for RWC Album

The official album of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand was launched on Tuesday by the world’s biggest-selling soprano and one of New Zealand’s most recognisable stars, Hayley Westenra.

World in Union, to be released by Universal Music in Australia on 26 August, New Zealand on 29 August and in the UK and other International markets on 12 September, will be available on CD, iTunes and other digital providers. It will feature 22 tracks recorded by some of the world’s most recognisable operatic voices to celebrate this year’s largest sporting event.

The iconic title track World in Union has become the anthem of each Rugby World Cup with an illustrious list of artists recording the song for each tournament.

The 2011 album features Westenra recording a rendition that will become synonymous with Rugby World Cup 2011. The 24-year-old follows in the footsteps of another of the country’s most celebrated singers, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who topped the charts with her version for Rugby World Cup 1991.

Westenra has not only recorded the song in English and Maori, as heard on this album, but also in Italian, French and Japanese. You can listen to it in English on .mp3 here.

 “The World in Union is the soundtrack to Rugby World Cup, an iconic song for the global Rugby family and I am sure that this album, featuring some of the biggest musicians, will add to the Tournament experience for fans around the world,” said Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset. “I am delighted that the album is not merely a collection of Rugby anthems, but it is a fine collection of songs performed by musicians who are Rugby fans. I am sure that Hayley Westenra’s rendition of World in Union will be extremely popular.”

The World in Union album continues with 20 more stirring tracks featuring some of the world’s most successful singers. Alfie Boe, Russell Watson, Laura Wright, Luigi Corvi, Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Brian Kennedy, Paul Byrom, Mirusia Louwerse and Roberto Alagna have all recorded songs representing the participating nations.

The album also features acclaimed Dutch violinist André Rieu, The Kenyan Boys’ Choir, The Band of the Coldstream Guards, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Fron Male Voice Choir.

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