| BBC Proms | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=logo} Current BBC Proms logo, used from the 2022 Proms season | |
 The audience in the Royal Albert Hall during the 2017 BBC Proms | |
| Nickname | The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Classical,jazz,funk,world |
| Begins | July |
| Ends | August |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Royal Albert Hall,Cadogan Hall and other venues around the UK |
| Coordinates | 51°30′04″N0°10′39″W / 51.501111°N 0.1775°W /51.501111; -0.1775 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Years active | 130 |
| Founded | 10 August 1895 (1895-08-10) |
| Founders | Robert Newman andHenry Wood |
| Organised by | BBC |
| Website | www |
TheBBC Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestralclassical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in theRoyal Albert Hall in centralLondon.Robert Newman founded The Proms in 1895. Since 1927, theBBC has organised and broadcast The Proms. Each season consists of concerts in the Royal Albert Hall,chamber music concerts atCadogan Hall (or occasionally other venues), additional Proms in the Park events across the UK on the Last Night of the Proms, and associated educational and children's events. Recently, concerts have been held in additional cities across different nations of the UK, as part of Proms Around the UK.[1][2]The season is a significant event inBritish culture and in classical music. Czech conductorJiří Bělohlávek described the Proms as "the world's largest and most democratic musical festival".[3]
Prom is short forpromenade concert, a term which originally referred to outdoor concerts in London'spleasure gardens, where the audience was free to stroll around while the orchestra was playing. In the context of the BBC Proms,promming refers to the use of the standing areas inside the hall (the Arena and Gallery) for which ticket prices are much lower than for the seating. Proms concert-goers, particularly those who stand, are sometimes referred to as "Prommers" or "Promenaders".
Promenade concerts had existed in London's pleasure gardens since the mid-18th century, and indoor proms became a feature of 19th century musical life in London from 1838, notably under the direction ofLouis Antoine Jullien and SirArthur Sullivan.[4] The annual series of Proms continuing today had their roots in that movement. They were inaugurated on 10 August 1895 in theQueen's Hall inLangham Place by the impresarioRobert Newman, who was fully experienced in running similar concerts atHer Majesty's Theatre.[5] Newman wished to generate a wider audience for concert hall music by offering low ticket prices and an informal atmosphere, where eating, drinking and smoking were permitted to the promenaders. He stated his aim toHenry Wood in 1894[6] as follows:
I am going to run nightly concerts and train the public by easy stages. Popular at first, gradually raising the standard until I have created a public for classical and modern music.[7]
George Cathcart, anotolaryngologist, gave financial backing to Newman for the series (called "Mr Robert Newman's Promenade Concerts") on condition that Henry Wood be employed as the sole conductor.[8][9] Wood, aged 26, seized this opportunity and built the "Queen's Hall Orchestra" as the ensemble specially devoted to performing the promenade concerts.[10] Cathcart also stipulated (contrary to Newman's preference) the adoption of French or Open Diapasonconcert pitch, necessitating the acquisition of an entirely new set of wind instruments for the orchestra, and the re-tuning of the Queen's Hall organ. This coincided with the adoption of this lower pitch by other leading orchestras and concert series.[11] Although the concerts gained a popular following and reputation, Newman went bankrupt in 1902, and the bankerEdgar Speyer took over the expense of funding them. Wood received a knighthood in 1911. In 1914,anti-German feeling led Speyer to surrender his role, and music publishersChappell & Co. took control of the concerts.[12]
Although Newman remained involved in artistic planning, it was Wood's name which became most closely associated with the Proms.[13] As conductor from the first concert (which opened with Wagner'sRienzi overture) in 1895, Sir Henry was largely responsible for building the repertoire heard as the series continued from year to year. While including many popular and less demanding works, in the first season there were substantial nights devoted to Beethoven or Schubert, and a programme of new works was given in the final week. Distinguished singers includingSims Reeves andSignor Foli appeared. In the first two decades Wood firmly established the policy of introducing works by contemporary composers (both British and international) and of bringing fresh life to unperformed or under-performed works.[14] A bronze bust of Sir Henry Wood recovered from the ruins of the bombed-out Queen's Hall in 1941, and now belonging to theRoyal Academy of Music,[15] is still placed in front ofthe organ for the whole Promenade season. Though the concerts are now called the BBC Proms, and are headlined with the BBC logo, the tickets are subtitled "BBC Music presents the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts".
In 1927, following Newman's sudden death in the previous year, theBBC (which later based atBroadcasting House next to the hall) began running the concerts.[16] This arose because William Boosey, then managing director of Chappell & Co. (the Prom proprietors), detested broadcasting and saw the BBC's far-reaching demands and intentions in the control of musical presentation as a danger to the future of public concerts altogether. He decided to disband the New Queen's Hall Orchestra, which played for the last time at a Symphony concert on 19 March 1927. He found it more expedient to let the Queen's Hall to the broadcasting powers, rather than to continue the Promenade concerts and other big series independently in an unequal competition with what he saw as effectively the Government itself. So the Proms were saved, but under a different kind of authority. The personnel of the New Queen's Hall Orchestra effectively continued until 1930 as "Sir Henry J. Wood and his Symphony Orchestra".[17] When theBBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) was formed in 1930, it became the main orchestra for the concerts. At this time the season consisted of nights dedicated to particular composers; Mondays wereWagner, Fridays wereBeethoven, with other major composers being featured on other days. There were no Sunday performances.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the BBC withdrew its support. However private sponsors stepped in to maintain the Proms, always under Sir Henry Wood's direction, until the Queen's Hall was devastated beyond repair during anair raid in May 1941. (The site is now occupied by the St George's Hotel and BBC Henry Wood House). The concerts then moved (until 1944) to their current home, the Royal Albert Hall, during the Promenade season presented by Keith Douglas in conjunction with theRoyal Philharmonic Society (of which he was Secretary).[18][19]
The London Symphony Orchestra had sometimes assisted in the series since (after 1927) the New Queen's Hall Orchestra had ceased to function, and in 1942, Sir Henry Wood also invited theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra under its new leaderJean Pougnet to participate in this and subsequent seasons.[20] In this he was attempting to maintain vigour in the programme, under the renewal of its relationship with the BBC as promoters. Sir Henry Wood continued his work with the Proms through vicissitudes with the BBC until his death in 1944, the year of his Jubilee Season.[21] During that period SirAdrian Boult, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, andBasil Cameron also took on conducting duties for the series,[22] continuing them in 1944 when, under increased danger from bombing, they were moved again, this time to theBedford Corn Exchange (home of the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 1941) which hosted them until the end of the War.
Sir Adrian Boult and Basil Cameron continued as conductors of the Promenade Concerts after the War, on their return to the Royal Albert Hall, until the advent ofMalcolm Sargent as Proms chief conductor in 1947. Sargent held this post until 1966; his associate conductor from 1949 to 1959 wasJohn Hollingsworth. Sargent was noted for his immaculate appearance (evening dress,carnation) and his witty addresses where he good-naturedly chided the noisy Prommers. Sir Malcolm championed choral music and classical and British composers, especiallySamuel Coleridge-Taylor. The charity founded in his name,CLIC Sargent, continues to hold a special Promenade Concert each year shortly after the main season ends. CLIC Sargent, theMusicians' Benevolent Fund and further musical charities (chosen each year) also benefit from thousands of pounds in donations from Prommers after most concerts. When asking for donations, Prommers from the Arena regularly announce to the audience the running donations total at concert intervals through the season, or before the concert when there is no interval.
After Wood's death, Julian Herbage acted asde facto principal administrator of the Proms for a number of years, as a freelance employee after his retirement from the BBC, with assistance from such staff asEdward Clark and Kenneth Wright.[23] During the tenure ofWilliam Glock as Controller of the Proms, from 1960 to 1973, the Proms repertory expanded both forwards in time, to encompass then contemporary and avant-garde composers such asBoulez,Berio,Carter,Dallapiccola,Peter Maxwell Davies,Gerhard,Henze,Ligeti,Lutosławski,Lutyens,Maw,Messiaen,Nono,Stockhausen, andTippett, as well as backwards to include music by past composers such asPurcell,Cavalli,Monteverdi,Byrd,Palestrina,Dufay,Dunstaple, andMachaut, as well as less-often performed works ofJohann Sebastian Bach andJoseph Haydn.[24] From the 1960s, the number of guest orchestras at the Proms also began to increase, with the first major international conductors (Leopold Stokowski,Georg Solti, andCarlo Maria Giulini) performing in 1963, and the first foreign orchestra, theMoscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, performing in 1966. Since that time, almost every major international orchestra, conductor and soloist has performed at the Proms. In 1970,Soft Machine's appearance led to press attention and comment as the first "pop" band to perform there.
The 1968 season began on a Friday evening instead of the usual Saturday. This concert marked a tribute to Sir Malcolm Sargent who had died shortly after delivering a brief speech from the rostrum at the Last Night in 1967. He had been too ill to actually conduct that concert. Every year since then, the Proms have started on a Friday evening in mid-July.
The Proms continue today, and still present newly commissioned music alongside pieces more central to the repertoire and early music. Innovations continue, with pre-Prom talks, lunchtime chamber concerts, children's Proms, Proms in the Park either appearing, or being featured more heavily over the past few years. In the UK, all concerts are broadcast onBBC Radio 3, an increasing number are televised onBBC Four with some also shown onBBC One andBBC Two. The theme tune that used to be played at the beginning of each programme broadcast on television (until the 2011 season) was an extract from the end of the "Red" movement ofArthur Bliss'sA Colour Symphony, in 2017Anna Clyne'sMasquerade (a Proms commission in 2013) and since 2019, an original theme byIan Arber.[25] It is also possible to hear the concerts live from the BBC Proms website. The Last Night is also broadcast in many countries around the world.
In 1996, a related series of eight lunchtime chamber concerts was started, taking place on Mondays during the Proms season. In their first year these were held in the Britten Hall of theRoyal College of Music (just acrossPrince Consort Road from the Albert Hall). The following year they moved slightly further afield, to theHenry Cole Lecture Theatre at theVictoria and Albert Museum. In 2005, they moved further again, to the new Cadogan Hall, just off London'sSloane Square. These allow the Proms to include music which is not suitable for the vast spaces of the Albert Hall.
From 1998 to 2007, theBlue Peter Prom, in partnership with long-running BBC television programmeBlue Peter, was an annual fixture.[26] Aimed at children and families, the Prom is informal, including audience participation, jokes, and popular classics.[27] High demand for tickets (which are among the lowest priced in the season) saw this Prom split in 2004 into two Proms with identical content.[28] In 2008, the Blue Peter Prom was replaced with aDoctor Who Prom which was revived in the 2010, 2013 and 2024 seasons.[29]
The 2004 season also featured the Hall's newly rebuiltpipe organ. It took two years to complete the task (2002–2004) and was the work of Noel Mander, Ltd., of London. It was the first complete restoration of the instrument since Harrison and Harrison's work in 1936.
The tradition of Promming remains an important aspect of the festival, with over 1000 standing places available for each concert, either in the central arena (rather like thegroundlings in the pit atShakespeare's Globe) or high in the hall's gallery. Promming tickets cost the same for all concerts (currently £8 as of 2023[30]), providing a considerably cheaper option for the more popular events. Since most promming tickets cannot be bought until 10:30am on the morning of the concert[31] (although there are full-season tickets and weekend passes available), they provide a way of attending otherwise sold-out concerts.[32][33]
In 2010, the Proms Archive was introduced on the BBC Proms webpage, to allow for a systematic searching of all works that have been performed and all artists who have appeared at the Proms since their inception.
Successive Controllers of the Proms after Glock have been Robert Ponsonby (1973–1985),John Drummond (1986–1995),Nicholas Kenyon (1996–2007), andRoger Wright (2007–2014). Between 1986 and 2014, the post of Director, BBC Proms had mostly been combined with the role of Controller, BBC Radio 3. Edward Blakeman, editor of BBC Radio 3, became interim Proms Director upon Wright's departure in July 2014.[34] In May 2015, theBBC announced the appointment of David Pickard as Director of BBC Proms,[35][36] in succession to Wright. In November 2023, the BBC announced that Pickard would be departing as Proms Director after the 2024 season.[37] In February 2024, Sam Jackson was appointed as Director of The Proms starting in the 2025 season.[38]
Many people's perception of the Proms is based on the Last Night, although this is very different from the other concerts. It usually takes place on the second Saturday in September, and is broadcast in the UK onBBC Radio 3, and on television onBBC Two (first half) andBBC One (second half). The concert is traditionally in a lighter, 'winding-down' vein, with popular classics followed by a second half of British patriotic pieces. This sequence traditionally includesEdward Elgar's "Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1" (to part of which "Land of Hope and Glory" is sung) and Henry Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea Songs", followed byThomas Arne's "Rule, Britannia!". The concert concludes withHubert Parry's "Jerusalem", and theBritish national anthem, since 2010 in an arrangement byBenjamin Britten. The repeat of the Elgar march at the Last Night can be traced to the spontaneous audience demand for a double encore after its premiere at a 1901 Proms concert.[41] The closing sequence of the second half became fully established in 1954 during Sargent's tenure as chief conductor.[42] The Prommers have made a tradition of singing "Auld Lang Syne" after the end of the concert, but this was not included in the programme until 2015. However, whenJames Loughran, a Scot, conducted the Last Night concert in the late 1970s and early 1980s he did include the piece within the programme.
Tickets are highly sought after. Promming tickets are priced the same as for that season's concerts, but seated tickets are more expensive. To pre-book a seat, an initial selection is released to winners of a ballot open to those who have booked five or more Prom concerts, and in 2023 there was also an advance sale to those who had seats booked for the cancelled 2022 event. After the advance-booking period, there is no requirement to have booked for additional concerts, but by then the Last Night is mostly sold out, although returns may be available. For standing places, a full season pass automatically includes admission to the Last Night; some day Prommers can get limited tickets available on various dates by presenting five ticket-stubs from previous concerts, either in the Arena or Gallery (prior to 2009, the requirement was for six other concerts); a limited number of day Promming tickets are open to anyone on the morning of the concert, whether they have booked before or not.[43] In the post-war period, with the growing popularity of the Last Night, the only way to obtain Promming tickets was through a postal ballot held well in advance of the concert.
Prommers with tickets are likely to queue up much earlier than usual (many overnight, and in past years, some slept outside the hall for up to three weeks to guard their place – although this is no longer permitted) to ensure a good place to stand; the resulting camaraderie adds to the atmosphere. Some attend infancy dress, fromdinner jackets to patriotic T-shirts. Many use the occasion for an exuberant display ofBritishness.Union Flags are waved by the Prommers, especially during "Rule, Britannia!". Other national flags, balloons, and party poppers are all welcomed – although John Drummond discouraged 'extraneous noise' during his tenure as director.
Sir Henry Wood's bust is adorned with alaurel chaplet by representatives of the Promenaders, who often wipe an imaginary bead of sweat from his forehead or make some similar gentle, visual joke. As with the rest of the season, the cost of promming tickets (standing tickets) is just £8. Many consider these to be the best tickets due to the atmosphere of standing in the hall for up to three hours; albeit with a twenty-five minute interval.
Another tradition is that near the end of the concert the conductor makes a speech thanking the musicians and audiences, mentioning the main themes of the season, noting the cumulative donation collected for the Promenaders' musical charities over the season, and announcing the date of the First Night for the following year. This tradition dates from 1941, when Sir Henry Wood gave the first such speech at the close of that season, which was the first at the Royal Albert Hall, when he thanked colleagues and sponsors. Wood gave a similar speech at the 1942 Last Night, and a pre-recorded version was played at the 1943 Last Night. During his tenure as conductor, Sir Malcolm Sargent established the tone of making the Last Night speech more humorous. Subsequent conductors have generally continued this, although one exception was in 1997 whenAndrew Davis addressed the deaths ofDiana, Princess of Wales,Mother Teresa, and SirGeorg Solti in 1997.[44]
Leonard Slatkin, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2004, expressed a desire to tone down the nationalism of the Last Night, and during the seasons from 2002 until 2007 "Rule Britannia" was only heard as part of Henry Wood's '"Fantasia on British Sea Songs" (another piece traditional to the Last Night) rather than separately. Slatkin, an American and the first non-Commonwealth citizen to lead the Last Night, conducted his first in 2001, just days after the9/11 attacks. The atmosphere was more restrained and less festive than normal, with a heavily revised programme where the finale ofBeethoven's 9th Symphony replaced the "Sea Songs", andSamuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" was performed in tribute to 9/11 victims.[45]
On the day of the 2005 Last Night, the hall management received word of a bomb threat, which led to a thorough search of the Albert Hall for 5 hours, but the concert took place after a short delay. This has led to increased security concerns, given the stature of the Last Night in British culture, which Jacqui Kelly of the Royal Albert Hall staff noted:
That was quite a nerve-wracker – our biggest event, the one everybody knows the Albert Hall for, and we were in real danger of losing it. We're an iconic thing, up there in the public eye, so we have to expect that.[46]
2008 also contained some departures from the traditional programme. "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" was moved to after the conductor's speech. In addition, most of Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea Songs" was replaced by Vaughan Williams'sSea Songs as a final tribute in his anniversary year. However, Wood's arrangements of naval bugle calls from the start of the "Fantasia" were retained, and Sargent's arrangement of "Rule Britannia" returned withBryn Terfel as soloist. As on his 1994 Last Night appearance,[47] he sang one verse in a Welsh translation, with the chorus also translated into Welsh. Additionally, 2008 saw the inclusion of Scottish composerAnna Meredith to the programme for her Proms premiere,froms, which involved five different groups of musicians telecasting in from around Britain.[48]
2009 saw the continued absence of Wood'sSea Songs, this time replaced by specially commissioned fanfares, and extracts fromHandel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks".[49][50] In 2009, for the first time, the Last Night was shown live in several cinemas across Asia and in Canada and Australia.[51]
In 2020, the concert was performed to an empty hall, due to theCOVID-19restrictions in place in the UK.[52] Two years later, in 2022, the concert was cancelled 48 hours before it was scheduled to happen, following thedeath of Queen Elizabeth II, the first Last Night cancellation since 1944.Dalia Stasevska had been selected to conduct. Stasevska returned to conduct the First Night in 2023, whileMarin Alsop conducted the Last Night. This marked the first time that the BBC Proms had female conductors open and close the season.[53] As a result of the cancellation, the date for the First Night of the 2023 Proms wasn't announced until April 2023.
The following table lists by year the conductors of the Last Night of the Proms. In general, since the tenure of Sargent, the Chief Conductor of theBBC Symphony Orchestra has led this concert, but guest conductors have directed the Last Night on several occasions. Additionally, the tradition was for a British conductor, and if not the current serving Chief Conductor, one who had an association with the BBC Symphony Orchestra or one of the other BBC orchestras.Charles Mackerras was the first non-British-born conductor to lead the Last Night, in 1980.Leonard Slatkin was the first American conductor of the Last Night in 2001.Jiří Bělohlávek was the first non-native English speaker to conduct the Last Night, in 2007.Marin Alsop was the Last Night's first female conductor in 2013.[54]
| Conductor | Last Night(s) ...[a] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th c.–1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | |
| Henry Wood[b] | 1895–1938, 1941–1943[a] | ||||||||
| Sir Adrian Boult | 1945, 1946, 1949[c][d] | ||||||||
| Basil Cameron | 1945[e] | ||||||||
| Constant Lambert | |||||||||
| Sir Malcolm Sargent | 1947-1948, 1950–1966 | ||||||||
| Colin Davis[f] | 1967–1972 | ||||||||
| Norman Del Mar[g] | 1973, 1975 | 1983[c] | |||||||
| Sir Charles Groves[h] | 1974, 1976, 1978[c] | ||||||||
| James Loughran[g] | 1977, 1979 | 1981, 1982, 1984[c] | |||||||
| Sir Charles Mackerras[d] | 1980[c] | ||||||||
| Vernon Handley | 1985[c] | ||||||||
| Raymond Leppard[h] | 1986[c] | ||||||||
| Mark Elder[i] | 1987[c] | 2006[c] | |||||||
| Sir Andrew Davis[j] | 1988[c] | 1990[k]–1992, 1994–1999 | 2000[c] | 2018[l] | |||||
| Sir John Pritchard | 1989 | ||||||||
| Barry Wordsworth[d] | 1993[c] | ||||||||
| Leonard Slatkin | 2001–2004 | ||||||||
| Paul Daniel | 2005[c] | ||||||||
| Jiří Bělohlávek | 2007 | 2010, 2012 | |||||||
| Sir Roger Norrington | 2008[c] | ||||||||
| David Robertson | 2009[c][m] | ||||||||
| Edward Gardner | 2011[c] | ||||||||
| Marin Alsop | 2013, 2015[c] | 2023 | |||||||
| Sakari Oramo[57] | 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 | 2021, 2024 | |||||||
| Dalia Stasevska[52] | 2020[c], | ||||||||
| Elim Chan | 2025[c] | ||||||||
The Royal Albert Hall could be filled many times over with people who would wish to attend. To involve extra people, and to cater for those who are not near London,Proms in the Park concerts took place from 1996 to 2019. Initially there was one, inHyde Park adjacent to the Hall, which was a simple video relay of the concert at the Royal Albert Hall. As audiences grew, Proms in the Park started to have musicians of their own on stage, including theBBC Concert Orchestra.[58]
In the 2000s, Proms in the Park started to be held in other locations across the UK, usually with one of the BBC's orchestras playing. In 2005,Belfast, Glasgow,Swansea andManchester hosted a Last Night Prom in the Park, broadcast live from each venue. In 2007 Manchester's prom was replaced by one inMiddlesbrough. In 2008 the number reduced from five to four, in Hyde Park, Belfast, Glasgow and Swansea. 2009 returned to a total of five, in Hyde Park, Glasgow, Swansea,County Down andSalford. Each location had its own live concert, typically playing the national anthem of the host country, before joining in a live big screen video link up with the Royal Albert Hall for the traditional finale.
In later years Proms in the Park became a series of established events in their own right, with events in Hyde Park and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, managed by BBC Scotland, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Northern Ireland respectively, in conjunction with the host local authority. Each event had a presenting team, a live orchestra, a video link to the Last Night of the Proms in London, and guest soloists and choirs. Events tended to move to different cities to cover a wider geographical area within the host nations.
All of these events were incorporated within BBC One's live coverage of the Last Night of the Proms, with live link-ups to each of the venues. However, some more traditional elements of the Last Night of the Proms (such as "Jerusalem", "Rule Britannia" and "Land of Hope and Glory") were removed on some years depending on local politics.[59][60]
As the popularity of Proms in the Park grew, many communities across the UK decided to hold their own "Proms in the Park" events that were not affiliated with the BBC. The last official Proms in the Park took place in 2019, and no plans for its return have been announced.
| Year | BBC Concert Orchestra | BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales | BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra | Ulster Orchestra | BBC Philharmonic (P) Hallé Orchestra (H) Northern Sinfonia (NS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996[61] | Hyde Park, London | ||||
| 1997 | |||||
| 1998 | |||||
| 1999 | |||||
| 2000 | |||||
| 2001 | Music Centre Gateshead[62] (NS) | ||||
| 2002[63] | Belfast[64] | ||||
| 2003[65] | Singleton Park, Swansea | Pacific Quay, Glasgow | Donegal Square, Belfast | ||
| 2004[66] | Cathedral Gardens, Manchester (H) | ||||
| 2005 | Glasgow Green | Belfast City Hall | Heaton Park, Manchester[67] (P) | ||
| 2006 | |||||
| 2007[68] | Carrickfergus Castle | Centre Square, Middlesbrough (NS) | |||
| 2008[69] | Belfast City Hall[70] | ||||
| 2009[71] | Hillsborough Castle, County Down[72] | Buile Hill Park, Salford[73][74] (P) | |||
| 2010 | Caird Hall, Dundee[75][76] | ||||
| 2011 | Caerphilly Castle | Castle Park, Bangor[77] | |||
| 2012[78] | Glasgow City Halls | Titanic Slipways, Belfast | |||
| 2013 | Glasgow Green | ||||
| 2014 | Singleton Park, Swansea | ||||
| 2015[79] | |||||
| 2016 | Colwyn Bay | ||||
| 2017 | Singleton Park, Swansea | Castle Coole, Enniskillen[80] | |||
| 2018 | Colwyn Bay[81] | Titanic Slipways, Belfast | |||
| 2019[82] | Singleton Park, Swansea |
The first live relays outside of London were to Swansea and Birmingham in 1999.[83]
In 2001, there were also live link-ups to Cornwall and Liverpool.
In 2011, Caerphilly's Proms in the Park was cancelled before the concert started due to heavy rainfall[84]
| No | Season | Start date (1st night) | End date (Last night) | Location | No of Proms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1895 | Saturday 10 August | Saturday 5 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 2 | 1896 | Saturday 29 August | Saturday 10 October | Queen's Hall, London | 37 |
| 3 | 1897 | Saturday 28 August | Saturday 9 October | Queen's Hall, London | 43 |
| 4 | 1898 | Saturday 27 August | Saturday 15 October | Queen's Hall, London | 43 |
| 5 | 1899 | Saturday 26 August | Saturday 21 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 6 | 1900 | Saturday 25 August | Saturday 10 October | Queen's Hall, London | 67 |
| 7 | Summer 1901 | Saturday 24 August | Saturday 9 October | Queen's Hall, London | 67 |
| 7a | Winter 1901/02 | Saturday 26 December | Saturday 1 February | Queen's Hall, London | 33 |
| 8 | 1902 | Saturday 23 August | Saturday 8 November | Queen's Hall, London | 67 |
| 9 | 1903 | Saturday 22 August | Friday 23 October | Queen's Hall, London | 54 |
| 10 | 1904 | Saturday 6 August | Friday 21 October | Queen's Hall, London | 66 |
| 11 | 1905 | Saturday 19 August | Friday 27 October | Queen's Hall, London | 60 |
| 12 | 1906 | Saturday 18 August | Friday 26 October | Queen's Hall, London | 60 |
| 13 | 1907 | Saturday 17 August | Saturday 26 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 14 | 1908 | Saturday 15 August | Saturday 24 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 15 | 1909 | Saturday 14 August | Saturday 23 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 16 | 1910 | Saturday 13 August | Saturday 22 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 17 | 1911 | Saturday 12 August | Saturday 21 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 18 | 1912 | Saturday 17 August | Saturday 26 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 19 | 1913 | Saturday 16 August | Saturday 25 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 20 | 1914 | Saturday 15 August | Saturday 24 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 21 | 1915 | Saturday 14 August | Saturday 23 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 22 | 1916 | Saturday 26 August | Saturday 21 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 23 | 1917 | Saturday 25 August | Saturday 20 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 24 | 1918 | Saturday 11 August | Saturday 19 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 25 | 1919 | Saturday 16 August | Saturday 25 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 26 | 1920 | Saturday 14 August | Saturday 23 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 27 | 1921 | Saturday 13 August | Saturday 22 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 28 | 1922 | Saturday 12 August | Saturday 21 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 29 | 1923 | Saturday 11 August | Saturday 20 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 30 | 1924 | Saturday 9 August | Saturday 18 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 31 | 1925 | Saturday 8 August | Saturday 17 October | Queen's Hall, London | 61 |
| 32 | 1926 | Saturday 14 August | Saturday 16 October | Queen's Hall, London | 55 |
| 33 | 1927 | Saturday 13 August | Saturday 24 October | Queen's Hall, London | 37 |
| 34 | 1928 | Saturday 11 August | Saturday 6 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 35 | 1929 | Saturday 10 August | Saturday 5 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 36 | 1930 (Northern) | Monday 26 May | Saturday 21 June | Free Trade Hall, Manchester Philharmonic, Liverpool Town Hall, Leeds | 24 |
| 36a | 1930 (London) | Saturday 9 August | Saturday 4 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 37 | 1931 | Saturday 8 August | Saturday 3 October | Queen's Hall, London | 48 |
| 38 | Summer 1932 | Saturday 6 August | Saturday 1 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 38a | Winter 1932/33 | Saturday 31 December | Saturday 14 February | Queen's Hall, London | 13 |
| 39 | 1933 | Saturday 12 August | Saturday 7 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 40 | Summer 1934 | Saturday 11 August | Saturday 6 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 40a | Winter 1934/35 | Monday 31 December | Saturday 12 January | Queen's Hall, London | 12 |
| 41 | Summer 1935 | Saturday 10 August | Saturday 5 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 41a | Winter 1935/36 | Monday 30 December | Saturday 11 January | Queen's Hall, London | 12 |
| 42 | 1936 | Saturday 8 August | Saturday 3 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 43 | 1937 | Saturday 7 August | Saturday 2 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 44 | 1938 | Saturday 6 August | Saturday 1 October | Queen's Hall, London | 49 |
| 45 | 1939 | Saturday 12 August | Friday 1 September | Queen's Hall, London | 17.5[a] |
| 46 | 1940 | Saturday 10 August | Saturday 7 September | Queen's Hall, London | 25[b] |
| 47 | 1941 | Saturday 12 July | Saturday 23 August | Royal Albert Hall, London | 37 |
| 48 | 1942 | Saturday 27 June | Saturday 22 August | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 49 | 1943 | Saturday 19 June | Saturday 21 August | Royal Albert Hall, London | 55 |
| 50 | 1944 | Saturday 10 June | Thursday 29 June | Royal Albert Hall, London | 17[c] |
| 51 | 1945 | Saturday 21 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 52 | 1946 | Saturday 27 July | Saturday 21 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 52a | Winter 1947 | Monday 6 January | Saturday 18 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 53 | Summer 1947 | Saturday 19 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 53a | Winter 1948 | Monday 5 January | Saturday 17 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 54 | Summer 1948 | Saturday 24 July | Saturday 18 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 54a | Winter 1949 | Monday 10 January | Saturday 22 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 55 | Summer 1949 | Saturday 23 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 55a | Winter 1950 | Monday 9 January | Saturday 21 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 56 | Summer 1950 | Saturday 22 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 56a | Winter 1951 | Monday 8 January | Saturday 20 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 57 | Summer 1951 | Saturday 28 July | Saturday 22 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 58 | Winter 1952 | Monday 7 January | Saturday 19 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 12 |
| 58a | 1952 | Saturday 26 July | Saturday 20 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 59 | 1953 | Saturday 25 July | Saturday 19 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 60 | 1954 | Saturday 24 July | Saturday 18 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 61 | 1955 | Saturday 23 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 62 | 1956 | Saturday 21 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 63 | 1957 | Saturday 20 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 64 | 1958 | Saturday 26 July | Saturday 20 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 65 | 1959 | Saturday 25 July | Saturday 19 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 66 | 1960 | Saturday 23 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 67 | 1961 | Saturday 22 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 68 | 1962 | Saturday 21 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 69 | 1963 | Saturday 20 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 70 | 1964 | Saturday 25 July | Saturday 19 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 71 | 1965 | Saturday 17 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 49 |
| 72 | 1966 | Saturday 23 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 50 |
| 73 | 1967 | Saturday 22 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 51 |
| 74 | 1968 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 52 |
| 75 | 1969 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 52 |
| 76 | 1970 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 53 |
| 77 | 1971 | Friday 23 July | Saturday 18 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 54 |
| 78 | 1972 | Friday 21 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 57 |
| 78a | Winter 1972/73 | Friday 29 December | Friday 5 January | Royal Albert Hall, London | 8 |
| 79 | 1973 | Friday 20 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 55 |
| 80 | 1974 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 55 |
| 81 | 1975 | Friday 25 July | Saturday 20 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 57 |
| 82 | 1976 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 56 |
| 83 | 1977 | Friday 22 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 55 |
| 84 | 1978 | Friday 21 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 55 |
| 85 | 1979 | Friday 20 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 54 |
| 86 | 1980 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 57 |
| 87 | 1981 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 56 |
| 88 | 1982 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 57 |
| 89 | 1983 | Friday 22 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 57 |
| 90 | 1984 | Friday 20 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 59 |
| 91 | 1985 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 60 |
| 92 | 1986 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 60 |
| 93 | 1987 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 66 |
| 94 | 1988 | Friday 22 July | Saturday 17 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 69 |
| 95 | 1989 | Friday 21 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 68 |
| 96 | 1990 | Friday 20 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 66 |
| 97 | 1991 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 67 |
| 98 | 1992 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 66 |
| 99 | 1993 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 67 |
| 100 | 1994 | Friday 15 July | Saturday 10 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 68 |
| 101 | 1995 | Friday 21 July | Saturday 16 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 70 |
| 102 | 1996 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 72 |
| 103 | 1997 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 104 | 1998 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 105 | 1999 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 72 |
| 106 | 2000 | Friday 14 July | Saturday 9 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 72 |
| 107 | 2001 | Friday 20 July | Saturday 15 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 108 | 2002 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 109 | 2003 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 110 | 2004 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 74 |
| 111 | 2005 | Friday 15 July | Saturday 10 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 74 |
| 112 | 2006 | Friday 14 July | Saturday 9 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 113 | 2007 | Friday 13 July | Saturday 8 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 72 |
| 114 | 2008 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 115 | 2009 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 116 | 2010 | Friday 16 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 117 | 2011 | Friday 15 July | Saturday 10 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 74 |
| 118 | 2012 | Friday 13 July | Saturday 8 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 119 | 2013 | Friday 12 July | Saturday 7 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 75 |
| 120 | 2014 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 121 | 2015 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 76 |
| 122 | 2016 | Friday 15 July | Saturday 10 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 75 |
| 123 | 2017 | Friday 14 July | Saturday 9 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 75 |
| 124 | 2018 | Friday 13 July | Saturday 8 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 75 |
| 125 | 2019 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 75 |
| 126 | 2020 | Friday 17 July | Saturday 12 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 15[d] |
| 127 | 2021 | Friday 30 July | Saturday 11 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 61 |
| 128 | 2022 | Friday 15 July | Thursday 8 September (de facto) Saturday 10 September (de jure) | Royal Albert Hall, London | 69[e] |
| 129 | 2023 | Friday 14 July | Saturday 9 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 71 |
| 130 | 2024 | Friday 19 July | Saturday 14 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 73 |
| 131 | 2025 | Friday 18 July | Saturday 13 September | Royal Albert Hall, London | 79 |
On various occasions, political protests have taken place in the auditorium, sometimes disrupting concerts.
On 1 September 2011, a Prom given by theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra was severely affected by interruptions from pro-Palestinian protesters.[86] While thePalestine Solidarity Campaign had urged a boycott, they denied being behind the disruption inside the Royal Albert Hall. For the first time ever, the BBC took a Prom concert off the air.[87] In 2016, anti-Brexit protestors wavedEU flags in addition to the usualUnion Jack flags.[88] The protests have continued in subsequent years.[89]
In July 2023,Just Stop Oil protestors halted a First Night performance by theBBC Symphony Orchestra andChorus.[90][91] In August 2025, a concert by theMelbourne Symphony Orchestra with pianistKhatia Buniatishvili was interrupted by a group protesting against the MSO's earlier handling ofJayson Gillham's comments about thekilling of journalists in the Gaza war.[92] In the same Proms season, the Israeli conductorIlan Volkov concluded a concert with theBBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with a speech calling for an end to hostilities in theGaza war.[93][94]
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