Tonight's live coverage from London's Royal Albert Hall marks the 60th anniversary of the London Blitz as Valery Gergiev conducts the World Orchestra for Peace, the brainchild of the late Sir Georg Solti , in a performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No 7 (Leningrad), a lasting symbol of musical resistance to war and oppression. The concert opens with Debussy's La Mer and is presented by James Naughtie.

BBC Proms 2000

The Last Night of the Proms

Jo Brand at the BBC Proms

James Naughtie introduces live coverage of a new-style, celebratory First Night. The BBC Singers, the BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra are conducted by Andrew Davis, with pianist Evgeny Kissin, soprano Christine Brewer, mezzo Louise Winter, tenor David Kuebler, baritone Nicolai Putilin and organist Simon Preston.

The first half of the programme comprises Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Stokowski's orchestral arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor. The concert ends with Janacek's spectacular choral work, Glagolitic Mass. Also broadcast on Radio 3.

During the interval, Francine Stock hosts a special Proms edition of the music quiz Full House, with teams led by Simon Callow and John Sessions and guests Thomas Allen and Barbara Bonney.

The First Night of the Proms

James Naughtie presents live coverage from London's Royal Albert Hall of Berlioz's Requiem (Grande Messe des Morts), a unique cross-Channel collaboration bringing together young musicians from England and France. As part of his Berlioz cycle Colin Davis conducts the choruses and orchestras of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Paris Conservatoire alongside tenor Stuart Neill.

Stephanie Hughes presents tonight's Bach Prom live from London's Royal Albert Hall on the 250th anniversary of the composer's death. Roger Norrington conducts the Choir of the Enlightenment and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in a performance of J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor, preceded by the motet Lieber Herr Gott, composed by his son Johann Christoph Bach, which may have been performed at Bach's funeral.

The first of four Proms on BBC1, tonight featuring three works of 20th century music performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis.

Alan Titchmarsh at the Proms

Nigel Havers introduces a concert of great British classics from London's Royal Albert Hall played by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier.

Nigel Havers at the BBC Proms

John McCarthy introduces highlights of Handel's Messiah performed by the English Concert Choir and Orchestra, plus Hillevi Martinpelto, Monica Groop, Kurt Streit and Nathan Berg conducted by Trevor Pinnock.

John McCarthy at the BBC Proms

Live coverage from London's Royal Albert Hall of tonight's Prom which features leading American orchestra the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. The concert opens with Carl Ruggles's Sun-Treader and is followed by Schumann's Piano Concert in A minor, played by Martha Argerich. The second half features Stravinsky's 20th-century classic The Rite of Spring. Presented by Stephanie Hughes.

Featuring Britten's Four Sea Interludes, Peter Maxwell Davies's Symphony No 7, Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending and Elgar's Enigma Variations

To mark the centenary of Arthur Sullivan 's death, Jo Brand introduces highlights from a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera lolanthe, a satire on the House of Lords. Jane Glover conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra with a cast of leading British singers.

Stephanie Hughes hosts the traditional celebration live from London's Royal Albert Hall , with Andrew Davis conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the final time.

Highlights include Elgar's opulent orchestration of Bach's

Fantasia and Fugue in C minor. The young American violinist Hilary Hahn makes her Proms debut in the Violin Concerto No 4 in D by Mozart and British soprano

Jane Eaglen joins the orchestra for the final scene from Richard Strauss 's opera Salome. Then from 8.35pm there are visits to Proms in the Park concerts taking place in London's Hyde Park - where Terry Wogan is the compere - Birmingham and Liverpool.

Stephanie Hughes introduces live coverage of the second half of tonight's concert from London's Royal Albert Hall.

The post-interval performance opens with a new work, an arrangement of Shostakovich's Jazz Suite No 2 by Gerald McBurney , followed by Percy Grainger 's tribute to Camptown Races composer Steven Foster. Delius's The Walk to the Paradise Garden precedes the traditional climax to the last night - Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1, Henry Wood 's Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Arne's

Rule, Britannia! and Parry's Jerusalem.

The whole of Handel's 'Messiah', as performed at the BBC Proms 2000, conducted by Trevor Pinnock with theEnglish Concert Orchestra

Prom: Handel's 'Messiah'

The World's Greatest Classical Music Festival.  The BBC Proms is a classical music festival held every summer at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and in recent years has explored an innovative series of Proms around the UK with concerts in all four nations. Its aim: to bring the best in classical music to the widest possible audience, which remains true to founder-conductor Henry Wood’s original vision in 1895.  Whether you are a classical connoisseur or think classical music isn’t for you, there is something for everyone in the eight-week stretch of concerts.

BBC Proms 2000

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Season 54 Episodes13

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