The BBC presents
An eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts
The Proms, The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.
at the Royal Albert Hall, London. July 18 – September 13, 2014,
Festival Highlights
Royal Albert Hall, Knightsbridge. Booking opens May 17.
Prom 13: CBeebies Prom
Prom 21: The John Wilson Orchestra – Kiss Me, Kate
Sunday 27 July 11.00am – c11.50am Royal Albert Hall
Saturday 2 August 7.30pm – c10.30pm Royal Albert Hall
Take a journey t hrough London with some of your favourite CBeebies characters and explore the sounds of the orchestra, as well as the everyday sounds around us. This morning’s adventure combines live music from the BBC Philharmonic and video action on screens around the hall. The next generation of classical music fans starts here.
The appearances of John Wilson and his orchestra have become one of the annual highlights of the Proms. Following the enormous success of the staged performance of My Fair Lady in 2012, John Wilson returns to perform Cole Porter’s Tony Award-winning musical Kiss Me, Kate in its original 1948 arrangements. He is joined by a cast of leading singers in this irreverent reworking of The Taming of the Shrew – a play within a play.
Proms in the Park – Hyde Park
Prom 64: Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker
Saturday 13 September 3.00pm – c10.30pm Hyde Park Various Venues
Friday 5 September 6.30pm – c8.35pm Royal Albert Hall
Join in the Last Night of the Proms celebrations in Hyde Park, hosted by Proms in the Park stalwart Sir Terry Wogan. The open-air concert features a host of musical stars, including Proms in the Park favourites the BBC Concert Orchestra under the baton of Richard Balcombe, and special guests Pumeza Matshikiza, Rufus Wainwright and legendary Earth, Wind & Fire. Presenter Tony Blackburn joins us again to get this year’s party under way, introducing a range of artists, including the Dhol Foundation and the cast of 20th Century Boy.
An all-Russian programme inspired by dance opens with Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances – the composer’s blazing ‘final spark’ and, for many, his finest orchestral work. Embracing jazz, plainchant and the waltz, this mercurial piece is a showcase of dramatic skill. The popular tradition of Promming (standing in the Arena or Gallery areas of the Royal Albert Hall) is central to the unique and informal atmosphere of the BBC Proms.
Part of the Proms auditence has always stood in the Arena, directly in front of the orchestra, and many consider this the best position in the hall. However, you can also stand high up in the Gallery and just let the sound drift up to you.
Tickets available online through www.bbc.co.uk/proms