The UK goes to the Proms
Guestblogger: Abby Yao is a Filipina postgraduate student in London. Though more of a musical theatre fan than a classical music lover, she believes that music is the universal language and finds no inconsistency in listening to both indie and mainstream, world music and bubblegum pop, rock and electronica.
The BBC Proms, the “world’s greatest classical music festival”, ends its two-month run on 8th September by bringing classical music to the people. The five Proms in the Park concerts in London, Carrickfergus (Northern Ireland), Glasgow (Scotland), Swansea (Wales), and Tees Valley (England) will be broadcast live on TV and radio, as well as on BBC Big Screens in Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Hull, Rotherham, and Derby.
The Proms is short for promenade concerts, which are called such because some audience members are FREE to promenade around the hall. Promming has become synonymous to four things: (1) long queues (2) for cheap tickets to (3) world-class concerts that (4) you do not have to dress up for.
For those who are in London (and prefer to be indoors), the Last Night of the Proms at Royal Albert Hall begins with Dvořák’s Othello overture and ends, as is tradition, on a patriotic note with the national anthem. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and American violinist Joshua Bell join the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jiří Bělohlávek.
Tickets for seats cost between £20 and £85 but standing tickets for the Arena and the Gallery sections are available on the day for £5. Be ready to queue!
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[...] The UK goes to the Proms And wouldn’t you just know it. It’s coming to an end and we don’t head to England until October! Well, maybe next time. [...]