While Golda Schultz was the undisputed focus of last night’s BBC Prom, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, with Robin Ticciati on the podium (fresh from Glyndebourne), made its presence strongly felt. The evening opened with the Proms premiere of Franz Schreker’s Chamber Symphony and concluded with Stravinsky’s dazzling Firebird Suite, a showpiece that leaves no room for weakness in the orchestra.
BBC Proms 2025: Anoushka Shankar – ‘Chapters’
A Rapturous Proms Return for Anoushka Shankar The Radio 3 digital promotional banner at the back of the Royal Albert Hall last night proclaimed ‘Music to Unwind Your Mind’. It was a fitting headline for the return to the BBC Proms of Anoushka Shankar, sitar virtuoso, composer, and multi-Grammy nominee, for her 5th Prom and […]
BBC Proms 2025 – Mahler and More
While I wouldn’t echo Maureen Lipman’s character in Educating Rita and claim I’d die without Mahler, the chance to immerse myself in his music is always a welcome one. This made a recent programme, Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, preceded by a BBC commission and world premiere from rising British composer Tom Coult, a particularly compelling prospect
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by Heart
Exploring Beethoven with The Aurora Symphony Orchestra The first performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony took place on May 7th 1824 at the Vienna Kärnthnerthor Theatre. 200 years later, what better way to mark this than by a prom, performing the entire symphony from memory and introducing the work with a unique theatrical production, making use […]