It’s that time of year again, when the most epic celebration of classical music hits London for a series of talks, performances and concerts centered at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington and a number of other venues.
Here’s when its on, what to expect and how to get tickets.
When is the Proms?
The BBC Proms will officially start on 19 July, on the First Night of the Proms. It will finish on 14 September, with the globally renowned Last Night of the Proms.
Most of the concerts will, as is traditional, take place at the Royal Albert Hall. Other venues include Battersea Arts Centre and Cadogan Hall, as well as Imperial College, which will host a series of free talks over the season.
What can we expect to hear at the Proms this year?
As always classical music is the focus of the Proms celebrations, however there are many contemporary themes at play. To mark 50 years since the moon landings, there are a number of expansive, space-related sets to experience, including soundtracks from films such as Gravity, Interstellar and Alien.
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The environment is another strong theme of the season. Expect to hear Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, as well as a musical reinterpretation of the Robert Macfarlane’s poems about the natural world, too.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the cellist who played during the Royal Wedding between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018. Elsewhere, there is a night curated by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.
How do I get tickets to the Proms?
You can buy tickets to the Proms through the Royal Albert Hall. Tickets have been on sale since May, so some of the more popular events may well have sold out. However,there are season tickets half-season tickets and weekend passes as options too.
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On the day of every concert, 1,350 standing tickets will also be made available at £6 each. Some will be released online before midday, and the rest on the door.
Be prepared to queue for these, though it doesn’t move as slowly as you might think. Just make sure you turn up as early as possible to get a raffle ticket to mark your place in the queue. Then you are free to enjoy the day, to return to the venue when the doors open to take up your place in the line.
There are also tickets for Last Night of the Prom. Most of these tickets go into a ballot for people who have bought tickets to at least five other concerts during the season. A further 200 are then allocated via an open ballot. Both of these are, however, are now closed.
If you miss out completely? Try to get a ticket to Proms in the Park, an open-air concert in Hyde Park that boasts 150 performers and a 60-piece BBC Concert Orchestra.
This year, Michael Ball will be hosting, with performances from Barry Manilow, the Lighthouse Family, Chrissie Hynde and Jack Savoretti.
Tickets are available online or over the phone directly from the Royal Albert Hall, See Tickets and Ticketmaster.They start from £46.
What’s the schedule?
For a full list of all 75 shows gracing the Royal Albert Hall stage this season, visit the website here.
