Nicky Spence takes over the presenter chair
Nicky Spence plays the best classical music and meets the musicians who make it happen, including rising star mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina.
Nicky Spence provides the ideal soundtrack for Saturday morning, with the best classical music, in new and landmark recordings, and one or two surprise guests introducing their own releases.
Nicky meets fellow opera star Aigul Akhmetshina, the award winning mezzo-soprano who already has a number of leading roles in major opera houses and two best-selling albums to her name.
Ahead of his appearance at the Last Night of the Proms, Nicky catches up with another mezzo-soprano, and his former teacher, Sarah Walker, to ask her advice and hear about her own experiences singing Rule, Britannia! at the Last Night two times.
And this week's Creator is the multiple academy award winning composer Alan Menken, celebrated for his long-standing collaboration with Disney.
Last on
Music Played
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Folk Festival (The Gadfly)
Orchestra: 麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.- The Film Music of Dmitri Shostakovich, Vol.2: 麻豆社 Phil, Sinaisky.
- Chandos.
- 8.
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Edward Elgar
La Capricieuse Op.17
Performer: Daniel Lozakovich. Performer: Stanislav Soloviev.- Elgar: La Capricieuse Op. 17.
- Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
- 1.
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Antonio Vivaldi
Bassoon concerto in B flat major RV.501 'La Notte'
Performer: Sergio Azzolini. Orchestra: L鈥橭nda Armonica.- Vivaldi: Concerti per fagotto VI.
- Naive.
- 1.
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Franz Liszt
Nuages gris S.199
Performer: Yulianna Avdeeva.- Metanoia.
- Pentatone.
- 7.
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Andrew York
Sunburst
Performer: John Williams.- Spirit of the Guitar.
- Sony Classical.
- 1.
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Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k
Carnival Overture, Op 92
Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.- PENTATONE.
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Trad.
Sekstur from Vendsyssel; The Peat Dance
Music Arranger: Danish String Quartet. Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.- DaCapo.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225 (Singet dem Herrn)
Choir: G盲chinger Kantorei Stuttgart. Conductor: Hans-Christoph Rademann.- J S Bach: The Motets.
- Accentus Music.
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Richard Wagner
Albumblatt for Frau Betty Schott
Performer: Jacques Forestier. Performer: Boris Kusnezow.- Song & Dance.
- Warner Classics.
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Georges Bizet
Carmen Suite no.1
Music Arranger: Ernest Guiraud. Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Fran莽ois Leleux.- Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1, Symphony & Gounod: Petite Symphonie.
- Linn.
- 1.
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Elena Roussanova
Mujer fatal [La belle Otero]
Singer: Aigul Akhmetshina. Performer: Sir Antonio Pappano.- Mujer Fatal.
- Decca.
- 1.
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Consuelo Vel谩zquez
Besame mucho
Music Arranger: Jonathan Palmer Lakeland. Singer: Aigul Akhmetshina. Performer: Sir Antonio Pappano.- Mujer Fatal.
- Decca.
- 6.
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Joseph Haydn
Cello concerto no.2 in D major H.7b.2 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Jean鈥怗uihen Queyras. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Petra M眉llejans.- Haydn: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Monn: Cello Concerto.
- harmonia mundi.
- 6.
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Bart Howard
Fly Me To The Moon
Music Arranger: John Holiday. Singer: John Holiday. Performer: Kevin Miller.- Over My Head.
- PENTATONE.
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Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek
The Excursion of Mr Broucek to the Moon (Introduction)
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.- LSO Live.
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Anthony Hopkins
Bracken Road (1947 - suite from 'Slipstream')
Performer: Sergio Tiempo. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.- Anthony Hopkins: 1947: Suite for Solo Piano & Orchestra: II. Bracken Road.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 1.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Serenade in G major K.525 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' (4th mvt)
Ensemble: The English Concert. Conductor: Andrew Manze.- Mozart: Night music: The English Concert/Manze.
- Harmonia Mundi.
- 4.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Sextet in D major Op.110 (1st mvt)
Performer: Yuja Wang. Performer: Kirill Troussov. Performer: David Aaron Carpenter. Performer: Maxim Rysanov. Performer: Sol Gabetta. Performer: Leigh Mesh.- Yuja Wang Plays Mendelssohn (Live).
- Verbier Festival Gold.
- 4.
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Thomas Arne
Rule! Britannia
Singer: Sarah Walker. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Vernon Handley.- 麻豆社 recording Last Night of the Proms 1985.
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Gabriel Faur茅
Apres un Reve (3 Songs Op.7)
Singer: Sarah Walker. Performer: Malcolm Martineau. Performer: Malcolm Martineau. Singer: Sarah Walker.- CRD Records.
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Cathy Berberian
Stripsody
Singer: Cathy Berberian.- Wergo.
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Gabriel Faur茅
Les Presents (2 Songs Op.46)
Singer: Sarah Walker. Performer: Malcolm Martineau.- CRD Records.
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Trad.
In The Pines
Music Arranger: B茅la Fleck. Singer: Dolly Parton. Singer: Ren茅e Fleming. Performer: B茅la Fleck.- The Fiddle and the Drum.
- Ren茅e Fleming Records.
- 2.
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Carl Orff
O Fortuna & Fortune plango vulnera (Carmina Burana)
Choir: Audivi. Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jader Bignamini.- PENTATONE.
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Alan Menken
Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid)
Singer: Samuel E. Wright. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: J.A.C. Redford.- Walt Disney Records.
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Alan Menken
Go The Distance (Hercules)
Singer: Roger Bart. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Kosarin.- Walt Disney Records.
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Alan Menken
Bedtime (The Little Mermaid)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.- Walt Disney Records.
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Alan Menken
A Whole New World (Aladdin)
Singer: Peabo Bryson. Singer: Regina Belle.- EMI Gold.
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Cecilia McDowall
A Tree is a Song
Choir: 麻豆社 Singers. Choir: Brent Music Service. Performer: Caroline Jaya-Ratnam. Conductor: Owain Park.- 麻豆社 recording.
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Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Prelude in G major (24 Preludes Op.28)
Performer: Alexandra Dariescu.- Preludes: Chopin & Dutilleux.
- Champs Hill Records.
- 3.
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Leonard Bernstein
Wonderful Town (Overture)
Music Arranger: Charlie Harmon. Orchestra: S茫o Paulo Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.- Bernstein: Marin Alsop's Complete Naxos Recordings.
- Naxos.
- 22.
Broadcast
- Sat 29 Aug 2026 09:00麻豆社 Radio 3