A London Underground security guard moved an organist to tears when she joined her for a spontaneous opera tribute to the Queen.
Tourists stopped in their tracks when Anna Lapwood, director of music at Cambridge University’s Pembroke College, was joined by a hi-vis guard called Marcella at the public organ in London Bridge station.
After Anna played a string of songs in tribute to the late Queen, Marcella stepped in to ask if she knew Lascia ch’io pianga – Handel’s Italian-soprano aria, which translates as ‘Let me cry’.
The talented musician said she was moved to tears when Marcella burst into a note-perfect vocal accompaniment, attracting a crowd of listeners and bringing tears to Anna’s eyes.
Nicholas Daniel tweeted footage of the surprise ‘gig’, writing: ‘I’m not crying, you’re crying.’
Anna, who has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, replied: ‘Can confirm I was crying.’
Tourists hailed the moment on Sunday – three days after it was announced Her Majesty had died ‘peacefully’ aged 96 at her home in Balmoral – as ‘lovely’.
Anna said she had ‘spontaneously stopped off’ to play the organ and can be seen smiling in the footage when she realises Marcella was a classically trained singer.
She told the guard her voice was ‘so beautiful’ before they partnered for other duets.
Anna tweeted: ‘This was so moving. Spontaneously stopped off at the London Bridge station organ to play a couple of pieces for the Queen. This lovely security guard, Marcella, asked if I could play Lascia ch’io pianga. Turns out she trained as a singer.
‘And yes – she got the audience and applause she deserved by the end!! We ended up doing a whole load of duets and it was pure joy.’
Illustrator Rosie Brooks, 42, said she was walking through the station on her way to Borough Market when she heard their music floating across the concourse.
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She told the Daily Telegraph: ‘So I popped my head round to have a look, it was such a lovely moment – so lucky they were playing just as I passed by.’
Ms Brooks added ‘quite a few people were gathered by the end’ of the performance, with Anna and Marcella appearing ‘totally engrossed in the music’.
She said: ‘It was such an uplifting moment, very needed at the moment.’
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