Photo, Chris Christodoulou
Sir Brian May (photo) and Roger Taylor join the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir for a brand new orchestral arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, marking its 50th anniversary. Comedian Bill Bailey makes his BBC Proms debut with Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter. Elim Chan conducts the Last Night of the Proms for the first time, leading the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir. French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel joins the massed forces for the UK premiere of Arthur Benjamin’s ‘Storm Clouds’ Cantata written for the assassination scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1934 film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, in the Royal Albert Hall. Louise Alder becomes the first British soprano to sing at the Last Night of the Proms in more than a decade and tonight marks Alison Balsom’s final performance as a trumpet soloist.
Modest Mussorgsky: A Night on the Bare Mountain (original version, 1867)
Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with Alison Balsom, trumpet
Lucy Walker: Today with BBC Singers (a cappella)
Arthur Benjamin: ‘Storm Clouds’ Cantata 1956 – UK premiere with Axelle Saint-Cirel, mezzo-soprano, BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Chorus
Charles Gounod: Faust – ‘O Dieu! que de bijoux … Ah! je ris de me voir’ (Jewel Song) with Louise Alder, soprano
Franz Lehár: The Merry Widow – Es lebt’ eine Vilja’ (Vilja Song) with Louise Alder, BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Chorus
Camille Pépin: Fireworks (BBC commission: world premiere)
Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
***
Freddie Mercury/Queen, arr. Stuart Morley: Bohemian Rhapsody with Sam Oladeinde, Louise Alder, Alison Balsom, BBC Singers, National Youth Choir, BBC Symphony Chorus and special guest appearances from Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor
Dmitri Shostakovich: Festive Overture
Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe, arr. Paul Campbell: My Fair Lady – medley (Wouldn’t it be Loverly – Without You – On the Street Where you Live – Show Me – I Could Have Danced All Night) with Louise Alder and BBC Singers
Leonard Bernstein, arr. Simon Wright: Prelude, Fugues and Riffs – Riffs with Alison Balsom
Leroy Anderson, arr. Alasdair Malloy: The Typewriter with Bill Bailey
Rachel Portman and text: Nick Drake: The Gathering Tree (BBC commission: world premiere) with BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Chorus
Trad., arr. Henry Wood: Fantasia on British Sea Songs
Thomas Arne, arr. Malcolm Sargent: Rule, Britannia! with Louise Alder
Edward Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
Hubert Parry, arr. Edward Elgar: Jerusalem
arr. Benjamin Britten: The National Anthem
Trad., arr. Paul Campbell: Auld Lang Syne
Louise Alder, soprano
Alison Balsom, trumpet
Axelle Saint-Cirel, mezzo soprano
Bill Bailey, typewriter
Sam Oladeinde, tenor
Sir Brian May, electric guitar
Roger Taylor, drums
National Youth Choir
BBC Singers
BBC Symphony Chorus
Neil Ferris, chorusmaster
BBC Symphony Orchestra
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002j624
***
Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor join the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir for a new orchestral arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, marking its 50th anniversary
- Comedian Bill Bailey makes his BBC Proms debut with Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter
- Elim Chan conducts the Last Night of the Proms for the first time, leading the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir
- The Last Night marks Alison Balsom’s final performance as a trumpet soloist
- Louise Alder becomes the first British soprano to sing at the Last Night of the Proms in more than a decade
Live coverage of the Last Night of the Proms will begin at 7pm on BBC Radio 3. The TV broadcast will be live on BBC iPlayer and in two parts: Part 1 on BBC Two from 6.55pm, and the Finale on BBC One at 9pm
The 2025 BBC Proms season concludes in celebratory style with the Last Night of the Proms on Saturday 13 September at the Royal Albert Hall. This year’s festival finale marks the 50th anniversary of Queen’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody, with a landmark performance of the opera-inspired song featuring Sir Brian May, Roger Taylor and rising West End star, Sam Oladeinde. Comedian Bill Bailey makes his BBC Proms debut, with a performance of Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter.
Conductor Elim Chan leads the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers, joined by acclaimed soprano Louise Alder and celebrated trumpeter Alison Balsom. The programme also includes two world premieres commissioned by the BBC: Fireworks by Camille Pépin and The Gathering Tree by Rachel Portman, the latter being the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
Audiences can expect a rich programme of music, from symphonic and choral works to opera arias, musical theatre medleys and all the traditional Last Night favourites.
Katie Derham will present the Last Night of the Proms on TV and BBC iPlayer and will be joined by special guests Nick Mohammed, Golda Schultz and Gareth Malone while Tina Daheley will be reporting on all the backstage excitement. The broadcast will be live in two parts: Part 1 on BBC Two from 6.55pm and the Finale on BBC One at 9pm.
BBC Radio 3 begins broadcasting live from the Royal Albert Hall from 7pm, hosted by Petroc Trelawny and Georgia Mann.
Sam Jackson, Controller of Radio 3 and the BBC Proms, said: “This year’s Last Night of the Proms promises to be a true celebration of musical excellence. Our 86-concert season concludes with a stellar line-up of talent and two world premieres: a fitting finale to a summer marked by packed concert halls and record-breaking digital consumption of the Proms on BBC Sounds and iPlayer.”
Suzy Klein, Head of Arts and Classical Music TV, said: “The BBC Proms 2025 season has been an unprecedented hit with audiences across BBC television and streaming platforms. At the halfway point of the season, TV viewing was up nearly 50% year-on-year, and as of last week, audience figures reached their highest since 2019, at nearly six million. That all points to a growing desire from people across the country to access and enjoy the very finest classical performances, and we are so proud of the range and quality of concerts we’ve broadcast this season. And it’s not over yet – beyond the Last Night, there will be treats well into autumn when audiences can enjoy JADE at Gateshead, St. Vincent and The Traitors Prom.”
Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor said: “What a splendid way to celebrate a Queen masterpiece in its 50th year: Bohemian Rhapsody performed with a 100-piece BBC Symphony Orchestra and a choir of over 150 singers – on the most prestigious night of the year in The Royal Albert Hall. Freddie will be loving it!”
***
Glyndebourne creates Last Night of the BBC Proms dress for Louise Alder
The costume department at Glyndebourne has specially created a dress for soprano Louise Alder to be worn for her performance at the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms on Saturday 13 September 2025. The bespoke gown will be designed by internationally renowned British Set and Costume designer and long-time Glyndebourne collaborator, Nicky Shaw. Glyndebourne’s Senior Cutter Beryl Waldron has interpreted the designer’s vision and led her team in the creation of the dress this summer.
Taking inspiration from the theatricality of the Last Night, the dress will be revealed at the world-renowned celebration at the Royal Albert Hall, which draws to a close over eight weeks and more than 80 concerts.
Louise recently took on the role of the Countess in Glyndebourne’s Festival 2025 production of Le nozze di Figaro, which also appeared in a concert-staged performance at the BBC Proms on 27 August. Alder has a long-standing connection with Glyndebourne and was awarded the 2014 John Christie Award in recognition of outstanding upcoming talent.
Nicky has a long history of working at Glyndebourne in various design roles, and is the Set and Costume Designer for its upcoming new production of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s The Railway Children (30 October – 1 November, Glyndebourne, and 8 November, Southbank Centre).
The Last Night of the Proms is live on BBC Radio 3 from 7pm, BBC Two from 6.55pm, and BBC One from 8.30pm on Saturday 13 September.
Louise Alder says: ‘What an absolute joy it has been to collaborate with designer Nicky Shaw, head cutter Beryl Waldon and the wonderful team in the costume department at Glyndebourne. I couldn’t have asked for a more talented and enthusiastic group of women to surround me with confidence and love for this mammoth occasion. I am so very grateful to Glyndebourne for their support and generosity.’
Nicky Shaw says: ‘I was delighted and honoured to be asked by Louise to design her Last Night dress: a truly iconic evening. We have had a hugely enjoyable time collaborating on the dress design; from initial ideas, through my drawing process, to fabric selection and then to the several fittings we have had at Glyndebourne together with their highly talented and skilled costume team of cutters and makers. Having seen how glorious Louise looks in the dress, I can’t wait to see it revealed at the Royal Albert Hall stage this weekend.