Last Night of The BBC Proms 2013

The BBC Proms is an annual eight week series of daily orchestral concerts at The Royal Albert Hall and other locations throughout the United Kingdom.  Begun in 1895, the summer music festival ends with a nationally televised concert of lighter classical fare and well known patriotic hymns performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.  For the first time, the concluding concert was conducted by a woman, Marin Alsop.  It also featured star soloists Nigel Kennedy and Kansas-born Joyce DiDonato, who has been called "the greatest coluratura soprano alive, a prodigy of nature."

Here are a few highlights from this extraordinary conclusion to the world's greatest classical music festival.  When a video of last night's entire concert becomes available, we will share it with you. 

Joyce DiDonato Sings Over the Rainbow

Nigel Kennedy Performs Csárdás by Monti

 

 

 

BBC Symphony Orchestra - Jerusalem

 

 

 

Joyce DiDonato Sings Rule, Britannia!

 

 

 

God Save the Queen

Highlights of the BBC Proms Season Currently Underway

BBC Last Night of the Proms

The self-proclaimed "world's greatest classical musical festival," the BBC Proms, has just concluded another season with their traditional and spectacular "Last Night of the Proms" from Royal Albert Hall.  Truly catnip for Anglophiles!  This is on a short list of events we want to attend in this life -- or at least any concert that includes Katherine Jenkins. 

  Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,

     How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee? 

Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
            God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
            God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.