The iconic BBC Proms is back, and it’s set to be an eight-week celebration of classical music featuring an impressive 72 events here at the Hall. The 2023 season, running from Friday 14 July to Saturday 9 September, offers an extensive range of programming, including large-scale symphonic and choral work, intimate chamber concerts, and exciting Proms debuts, from Berlioz to Bollywood.
David Pickard, Director of BBC Proms, said,
“There is no other classical music festival in the world to match the range and breadth of the BBC Proms. It is the place where so many discover orchestral music for the first time – whether through a cornerstone of the classical repertoire, ground-breaking new work, or collaborations with some of today’s most exciting artists.”
Highlights of this year’s event include 15 new commissions and co-commissions showcasing the extraordinary range of today’s orchestral composers, and orchestral collaborations with non-classical artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Self Esteem, and Jon Hopkins. The Proms also features international orchestras such as the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich.
Other exciting performances include the ‘Orrible Opera, an irreverent introduction to opera presented by the team behind the hugely successful Horrible Histories, a Bollywood Prom with Indian singer Palak Muchhal and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a Northern Soul Prom curated by writer and broadcaster Stuart Maconie, and fado with Portuguese singer Mariza. The Aurora Orchestra will also be back for its greatest challenge to date: a dramatisation of the origins of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring followed by a performance of the piece, entirely from memory.
The Proms continue its commitment to accessible ticket prices, with seats starting at £9 and half-price tickets for under-18s (plus booking fees), as well as Promming day standing tickets at £8 (inclusive of booking fees). All Proms at the Royal Albert Hall will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and for the first time, the majority of concerts will be available on BBC Sounds for 12 months. BBC television and BBC iPlayer will also broadcast 24 programmes.
Don’t miss out on the Moon and Stars Prom with Anna Lapwood, the jazz Prom featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, the relaxed Prom, the Mindful Mix Prom with VOCES8, the Audience Choice Prom (you choose the pieces!), and the Fantasy, Myths and Legends Prom featuring music from film, TV, and gaming.
Season and weekend passes will go on sale at 9 am (GMT) on 12 May, and tickets, including for family proms, will go on general sale at 9 am (GMT) on 13 May.
