Placido Domingo given Freedom of the City of London Published duration 16 April 2013

image caption The tenor received the honour at a ceremony at the Mansion House

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London.

The 72-year-old opera singer, who used to live in Chelsea, has made 200 appearances at the Royal Opera House during a career that began in 1959.

"I am blessed to have amassed and nurtured an enduring relationship with London," he said after being nominated.

The Freedom of the City dates back to 1237 and is given for outstanding contributions to London life.

On his London connection, the Madrid-born tenor said: "I am proud of having once called Chelsea a home, and having embedded so much of my history here. I am now filled with emotion and gratitude."

He was given the honour in a ceremony at the Mansion House in the City of London, the Lord Mayor's official residence.

Alderman Roger Gifford, the Lord Mayor, said: "His exceptional legacy to classical music will endure for decades to come."