Prom 1: First Night of the Proms

15 Jul 2016, Royal Albert Hall

19:00 Fri 15 Jul 2016 Next Event

19:00 Fri 15 Jul 2016 Royal Albert Hall

This year’s festival kicks off with Tchaikovsky’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Fantasy-Overture before Sol Gabetta performs Elgar’s Cello Concerto. Finally, hear one of the greatest cantatas of the 20th century – Prokofiev’s 'Alexander Nevsky'.

Performances & Interviews

01:30

Watch: La Marseillaise

The First Night of the Proms opens with the La Marseillaise.

Jul '16BBC Two

03:05

Watch: cello

See the cello in a new light as Sol Gabetta performs Elgar's Cello Concerto.

Jul '16BBC Radio 3

21:39

Listen: interval with Proms Director

Petroc Trelawny and Clemency Burton-Hill discuss the Proms programme for 2016

Jul '16BBC Radio 3

TV & Radio

Listen on Radio 3

Part 1 on BBC TWO

Part 2 on BBC FOUR

Programme

- - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
  - Fantasy-Overture ‘Romeo and Juliet’(20 mins)
- - Edward Elgar
  - Cello Concerto in E minor(29 mins)
- - interval
- - Sergey Prokofiev
  - Cantata 'Alexander Nevsky'(41 mins)

Performers

Olga Borodina
mezzo-soprano
mezzo-soprano
Sol Gabetta
cello
cello
BBC National Chorus of Wales
BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo
conductor
conductor

Composers

About This Event

Tchaikovsky’s ravishing 'Romeo and Juliet' overture launches our celebrations marking 400 years since the death of Shakespeare.

Argentine soloist Sol Gabetta makes her Proms debut in Elgar’s hauntingly lyrical Cello Concerto, the first in a series of works throwing a spotlight on the instrument.

Prokofiev delivered a score of new directness and clarity for his friend Sergey Eisenstein’s patriotic film Alexander Nevsky: the cantata he fashioned from it features the dramatic ‘Battle on the Ice’.