Held on the same night as the Last Night of the Proms, Proms in the Park is Britain’s largest outdoor classical music event and offers a rousing alternative finale to two months of the BBC Proms for those unable to snare tickets to the Royal Albert Hall.
About Proms in the Park
Held in nearby Hyde Park, the BBC Proms in the Park has its own line-up – which typically includes well known pop stars and Grammy award winning singers as well as classical musicians and tenors. They join Proms in the Park favourites the BBC Concert Orchestra and Michael Ball as presenter – who took over from Sir Terry Wogan four years ago.
Hyde Park is a great place to enjoy five hours of evening entertainment and a live big-screen link-up to the Royal Albert Hall for the traditional Last Night sing-along followed by a sensational firework finale to cap things off.
Proms in the Park 2019
Join in the Last Night of the Proms celebrations in Hyde Park, hosted by Michael Ball.
The legendary Barry Manilow will headline this year’s concert. Other artists include American singer-songwriter and founding member of The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde, English-Italian singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti, iconic East London-born RnB and soul singer Gabrielle and star operatic soprano Aida Garifullina.
In addition to a number of solo artists, this year’s line-up will feature a very special duo in the shape of 90’s British pop giants Lighthouse Family.
The famous Hyde Park stage will also host Rock Choir, who return for the second year running, as well as the BBC Concert Orchestra under conductor Richard Balcombe.
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Grammy Award winning Barry Manilow has recorded and released 47 Top 40 singles, including 12 numbers ones, some of which he will bring to Hyde Park for a live performance alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Proms in the Park favourites, the 60-piece BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Richard Balcombe, will again perform all the traditional Last Night anthems live on the Hyde Park stage. Forty thousand voices will join them for the mass singalong as the evening brings to a spectacular close two months of music-making.
Broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.
Proms in the Park 2019 Performers
- Barry Manilow – singer
- Chrissie Hynde – singer
- Jack Savoretti – singer
- Lighthouse Family – singer
- Gabrielle – singer
- Aida Garifullina – soprano
- Michael Ball – presenter
- BBC Concert Orchestra
- Richard Balcombe – conductor
About Hyde Park
Technically two different parks, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are in practical terms one huge, merging expanse.
The ‘split’ dates back to 1728 when Queen Caroline, wife of George II, took almost 300 acres from Hyde Park to form Kensington Gardens. The 350 acres that remained has become one of London’s best-loved parks.
Almost every kind of outdoor pursuit takes place within its lush green landscape. Horse riding, rollerblading, bowls, putting and tennis are all catered for while informal games of cricket, rounders and frizbee spring up on the area to the south of the park known as The Sports Field.
A number of famous London attractions are also housed within this central space. Hyde Park boasts Speakers’ Corner, the Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain and the Serpentine Boating Lake – another feature owed to Queen Caroline who started a new landscaping trend by designing this natural-looking lake.
Today the water is a hive of activity in the summer months, doubling up as a lido and boating lake with its very own solar powered boat plus two cafes – The Lido Cafe and Serpentine Bar & Kitchen – on the water’s edge. Hyde Park’s central location means it attracts a diverse crowd, making it one of the most buzzing, fun green spaces in London.
A full diary of events including free guided walks, concerts and children’s entertainment complete the picture.
Best for:
Sunbathing and swimming, horse-riding and rollerblading, ducks, deckchairs and monuments.
(Article source: Various)
