Anticipation is building as the 2024 BBC Proms, dubbed ‘the world's greatest classical music festival’, comes one step closer with the opening of the box office tomorrow, May 18th. It certainly has a unique and informal atmosphere, thanks to the popular tradition of ‘Promming’ (standing in the Arena or Gallery areas of the Royal Albert Hall), enabling audiences to see leading artists from around the world for only £8.
The 130th Proms season promises eight weeks of diverse and captivating programmes at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and beyond. This year, the Proms expands to include weekend festivals in Bristol, Nottingham, and Gateshead, as well as chamber concerts in Aberdeen, Belfast and Newport.
Among the lineup of 90 events showcasing over 3,000 musicians, we have curated a selection of Early Music favourites, and share them with you below. All event details are available on Continuo Connect.
Three exceptional singers interpret music from the Elizabethan and Baroque repertoire:
Prom 7: Late Night Italian, Tuesday 23 July 10:15pm
Polish breakdancer (I had to mention this - he is brilliant in both art forms) and countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński teams up with period instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro for a programme of works by Early Baroque composers. Find out more here.
The Glasshouse 6: Flow, my Tears, 28 July 3pm
Soprano Ruby Hughes, winner of both First Prize and Audience Prize at London's 2009 Handel Singing Competition, is a passionate programmer, curator, and collaborator. She will be joined by violinist David Pioro, cellist Clare O’Connell, and David Gordon, harpsichordist, exploring Elizabethan music and folklore. Although not performed on gut strings (what can we say), the artists are well-versed in imaginative cross-over programmes and promise a captivating interpretation of their chosen pieces. Find out more here.
Proms Aberdeen: I never laid eyes on Aeneas, 1 September 3pm
Soprano Nardus Williams will feature in the programme she devised together with classicist and historian Dame Mary Beard and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny - ‘Women’s Stories from the Ancient World’. The concert will explore the theme of women’s voices in antiquity and their resonance in later cultures. Find out more here.
Enjoy some magical time travel with Purcell’s semi-opera:
Prom 24: Purcell: The Fairy Queen, 6 August 7pm
Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie and Paul Agnew, bring Purcell’s The Fairy Queen to the Proms, with a choreography by Mourad Merzouki that promises to “connect the dots between Purcell and street dance" (The New York Times). Together with Merzouki’s dance company käfig, musicians and dancers create a bold blend of past and present. Find out more here.
This year the Proms will place a special focus on choral music and singing, with over 25 choirs appearing throughout the season. Amongst them:
Prom 40: St John Passion, 19 August 7:30pm
Bach Collegium Japan will perform Bach’s St John Passion under the baton of founder and music director Masaaki Suzuki. Find out more here.
Prom 63: Choral Day - The Sixteen, 7 September 10:30am
The Sixteen will start this special Choral Day with works written in England during the Victorian period. Find out more here.
Prom 65: Choral Day - Handel’s Messiah, 7 September 7pm
In the evening, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with conductor and early music specialist John Butt offer Handel’s Messiah with soloists Nardus Williams, Helen Charlston, Benjamin Hulett, and Ashley Riches, joined by six! choirs. Find out more here.
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will appear twice - with two very different concert programmes:
Prom 28: Songs of Wars I have seen, 9 August 10:30pm
In August the OAE are joined by new-music ensemble London Sinfonietta for Heiner Goebbels’ Songs of Wars I Have Seen, composed for both ensembles. The work combines the music of 17th century composer Matthew Locke, words from the wartime diaries of American Jewish writer Gertrude Stein and Goebbels's own musical and dramatic ideas. Find out more here.
Prom 72: Mozart, Farrence, Beethoven, 13 September 7:30pm
In September, the OAE perform a concert of symphonies, including Symphony No.1 by young Mozart, Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No.3 and Beethoven’s Eroica.
Find out more here.
We are looking forward to this amazing kaleidoscope of Early Music offerings at the Proms this summer and can recommend exploring the entire 2024 programme. You will no doubt be overwhelmed (in a good way) by all the artists and their creativity.
Until next time
Kirsten & the Continuo Connect team
NB - For those unable to attend in person, the BBC will broadcast every note on Radio 3 and BBC Sounds, with select programmes available on television and BBC iPlayer.