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WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Musical luminaries Aretha Franklin, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman will be among the performers at Barack Obama's presidential inauguration, the committee handling the event said Wednesday.
The US Marine band will open the January 20 ceremony, to be followed by performances by children's choirs from San Francisco, said California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who heads the inaugural ceremonies committee.
After welcoming remarks by Feinstein, and a religious invocation by evangelical Pastor Rick Warren, Franklin will perform.
Vice president-elect Joe Biden will then take the oath of office, to be followed by performances from violinist Perlman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will then administer the oath of office to Obama, and the new president will deliver his inaugural address.
After Obama speaks there will be a reading by poet Elizabeth Alexander, a blessing by Joseph Lowery -- a pastor and civil rights era leader -- and a US naval band will play the national anthem.
Obama's inauguration "will be an event of historic proportion," Feinstein said in a statement.
"It is appropriate that the program will include some of the world's most gifted artists from a wide range of backgrounds and genres."
Program participants were chosen by Obama, Biden and Feinstein, the statement read.
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