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Episode details

Radio 3,13 Sep 2025,216 mins

Series Unforgettable Proms

Last Night of the Proms 2025

Âé¶¹Éç Proms

Available for 24 days

Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor join the Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Âé¶¹Éç Singers and the National Youth Choir for a brand new orchestral arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, marking its 50th anniversary. Comedian Bill Bailey makes his Âé¶¹Éç Proms debut with Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter. Elim Chan conducts the Last Night of the Proms for the first time, leading the Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Âé¶¹Éç Singers and the National Youth Choir. French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel joins the massed forces for the UK premiere of Arthur Benjamin's ‘Storm Clouds’ Cantata written for the assassination scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1934 film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, in the Royal Albert Hall. Louise Alder becomes the first British soprano to sing at the Last Night of the Proms in more than a decade and tonight marks Alison Balsom’s final performance as a trumpet soloist. The programme also includes two world premieres commissioned by the Âé¶¹Éç: Fireworks by Camille Pépin and The Gathering Tree by Rachel Portman, who's the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Presented by Georgia Mann and Petroc Trelawny, live from the Royal Albert Hall, London Modest Mussorgsky: A Night on the Bare Mountain (original version, 1867) Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with Alison Balsom, trumpet Lucy Walker: Today with Âé¶¹Éç Singers (a cappella) Arthur Benjamin: ‘Storm Clouds’ Cantata 1956 – UK premiere with Axelle Saint-Cirel, mezzo-soprano, Âé¶¹Éç Singers and Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Chorus Charles Gounod: Faust – ‘O Dieu! que de bijoux … Ah! je ris de me voir’ (Jewel Song) with Louise Alder, soprano Franz Lehár: The Merry Widow - Es lebt’ eine Vilja’ (Vilja Song) with Louise Alder, Âé¶¹Éç Singers and Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Chorus Camille Pépin: Fireworks (Âé¶¹Éç commission: world premiere) Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice c.8.30pm During the interval Petroc & Georgia chat with the actor and comedian Nick Mohammed and the pianist Nicholas McCarthy, whose sumptuous performance of Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand we heard in the opening weekend of the season 9pm Freddie Mercury/Queen, arr. Stuart Morley: Bohemian Rhapsody with Sam Oladeinde, Louise Alder, Alison Balsom, Âé¶¹Éç Singers, National Youth Choir, Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Chorus and special guest appearances from Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor Dmitri Shostakovich: Festive Overture Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe, arr. Paul Campbell: My Fair Lady – medley (Wouldn’t it be Loverly – Without You – On the Street Where you Live – Show Me – I Could Have Danced All Night) with Louise Alder and Âé¶¹Éç Singers Leonard Bernstein, arr. Simon Wright: Prelude, Fugues and Riffs – Riffs with Alison Balsom Leroy Anderson, arr. Alasdair Malloy: The Typewriter with Bill Bailey Rachel Portman and text: Nick Drake: The Gathering Tree (Âé¶¹Éç commission: world premiere) with Âé¶¹Éç Singers and Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Chorus Trad., arr. Henry Wood: Fantasia on British Sea Songs Thomas Arne, arr. Malcolm Sargent: Rule, Britannia! with Louise Alder Edward Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 Hubert Parry, arr. Edward Elgar: Jerusalem arr. Benjamin Britten: The National Anthem Trad., arr. Paul Campbell: Auld Lang Syne Louise Alder, soprano Alison Balsom, trumpet Axelle Saint-Cirel, mezzo soprano Bill Bailey, typewriter Sam Oladeinde, tenor Sir Brian May, electric guitar Roger Taylor, drums National Youth Choir Âé¶¹Éç Singers Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Chorus Neil Ferris, chorusmaster Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Orchestra Elim Chan, conductor The biggest night in classical music is back! After eight weeks and over 80 concerts, the 2025 Âé¶¹Éç Proms celebrates with a Last Night spectacular, packed with musical surprises and star turns. Elim Chan conducts the Âé¶¹Éç Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in all the traditional favourites – anthems, folk songs and singalongs – with solo performances by ‘captivating’ soprano Louise Alder and ‘sensational’ trumpeter Alison Balsom. There’s a nod to this season’s Bernard Herrmann celebration, a mischievous sorcerer’s apprentice from Dukas, and premieres by Camille Pépin and Rachel Portman.

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