In a year like no other, the Last Night of the Proms 鈥� always a celebration of world-class music-making across the season 鈥� reflects the many experiences and moods we have encountered during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Finnish maestra Dalia Stasevska 鈥� the 成人快手 Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 Principal Guest Conductor 鈥� presides over a specially adapted Last Night with no live spectators at the Royal Albert Hall but with millions listening and watching worldwide.
Excerpts from Mozart鈥檚 witty opera celebrating unwavering love leads to Strauss鈥檚 rapturous 鈥楳orgen!鈥�, a wedding gift to his wife, opening with the thought that 鈥楾omorrow the sun will shine again鈥�.
There鈥檚 consolation in Sibelius鈥檚 serene Impromptu, a celebration of one of the great creative spirits of the past century 鈥� Stephen Sondheim 鈥� in his 90th-birthday year. There is the soaring violin of Vaughan Williams鈥檚 The Lark Ascending and birdsong also concludes Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi鈥檚 new commission (whose title, Solus, also acknowledges the loneliness of lockdown).
With rising star Golda Schultz and Proms regular Nicola Benedetti as soloists 鈥� as well as the usual Last Night favourites such as Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem 鈥� it鈥檚 a jubilant, socially distanced musical party designed to bring us all together.
It will not be possible to have an audience at the Royal Albert Hall.
Live on 成人快手 Radio 3 & 成人快手 One
Image: Golda Schultz 漏 Dario Acosta
