Summary

  • It's the finale of the world's biggest classical music festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London

  • Grammy Award-winning soprano Angel Blue and pianist Sir Stephen Hough are among the performers joining the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and BBC Singers

  • This year's Proms season has mixed a traditional repertoire with concerts by Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Bristol's Paraorchestra and a disco night

  • Watch live in the UK by pressing the button at the top of this page or listen internationally on BBC Sounds

  • Follow this link for tonight's full list of performances

Live Reporting

Edited by Jack Burgess

  1. Lucky prommers at the front of the queue

    Rachel Flynn
    reporting from the Royal Albert Hall

    Three people ready for the Proms

    Judy (left) and Monika (right)

    Judy and Monika - originally from Germany - met in this very queue 10 years ago, and have both been Promming for the past 25 years.

    This year Monika has brought her daughter Tessa, who came all the way from Australia for tonight’s concert.

    Tessa calls her mum the “true Prommer”.

    Where else can you see the greatest orchestras in the world for £8?"

    Judy

    “It’s a celebration of meeting people and celebrating brilliant music,” Judy tells me.

  2. 'Theatricality without distraction': Who is tonight's star soloist, Sir Stephen Hough?

    Mark Savage
    BBC Music correspondent

    Stephen Hough joins Alpesh Chauhan and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at City halls, Glasgow on 05th September 2020

    Sir Stephen Hough playing in Glasgow during the Proms 2020 season

    Sir Stephen Hough is one of the most distinguished and distinctive musicians of his generation.

    As a teenager he won the piano section of the first ever BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, then moved to New York to study at the Juilliard School of music.

    Since then, he’s played regularly with most of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin, London, China, Seoul and New York Philharmonic Orchestras.

    Tonight is his 30th appearance at the Proms and he has dressed specially for the occasion.

    Your clothes need to fit that sense of theatricality without being a distraction. It’s respectful of that moment.”

    Sir Stephen

    In an interview with The Telegraph, the twinkle-eyed musician talked through his Savile Row suit fitting and the specific requirements of a concert pianist: Tight cuffs that don’t get in the way, a soft collar to stop his neck chafing, and no lining in the jacket, so that he doesn’t melt under the TV lights.

    His finished outfit features a Nehru-collared jacket in a dark green jacquard, offset by some patent black opera pumps.

    “It has to be special in some way,” he told the paper.

  3. Florence + The Machine's debut at the Proms

    Hollie Cole
    Live reporter

    Florence + The Machine singing at the Proms. She is wearing a red dress with large, flowy sleeves while holding a microphone on a microphone standAndy Paradise / BBC

    It was supposed to be Florence + The Machine's year off from singing publicly - but her debut Proms performance was a standout moment on Wednesday.

    “When [the invitation] came in, they were like, ‘We know you’re off, but would you…?’ and I was like, ‘Yes!’” she told Vogue magazine.

    The flame-haired singer barely moved from her microphone, letting the music convey the drama in a performance that was an orchestral revamp of her Brit Award-winning album Lungs and a document of the star's "messy and chaotic" teenage years.

    Her orchestral score was put together over several months of drafts, revisions, and rehearsals - overseen by Jules Buckley, the conductor who’s been charged with “ripping up the Proms’ rulebook”.

  4. The Prommers queue has begun

    Rachel Flynn
    reporting from the Royal Albert Hall

    A queue outside the Royal Albert Hall

    About 800 Prommers will be joining this queue.

    Some are sipping Prosecco, others taking snaps of the glorious Royal Albert Hall this sunny Saturday afternoon.

    And, nearby, there's another eager Prommer waiting for the music to begin.

    A dog with an outfit that says Proms
    Dog with Proms outfit

  5. My favourite night of the year

    Katie Derham
    BBC Proms presenter

    Proms presenter Katie Derham in front of the Royal Albert Hall

    It's time! Classical music's biggest party of the year, and my favourite night... The Last Night of the Proms.

    Even after (shhhhh... ) 15 years of hosting the show, it's a night when the adrenaline fizzes and anticipation runs high.

    High up in the gallery, the TV presenting spot has been spruced up and given some party glitter, and there is talk of champagne for the team at the interval.

    Tempting, but I'll wait until the end of three hour live broadcast.

    I've got wonderful guests lined up.

    The irrepressible tenor Nicky Spence, ace organist Anna Lapwood, actor, comedian and opera lover Chris Addison.

    I can assure you, there's no danger of any awkward silences between pieces.

    Every year I'm overwhelmed by the genuine sense of celebration and joy in the Royal Albert Hall."

    This is a night when music lovers and musicians of all nations and all ages join together to have fun and soak up the glorious tunes.

    I'll never get bored of it. And the best thing is you can all join in at home too.

  6. Who is Mr Proms - Henry Wood?

    The bust of Henry Wood at the Royal Albert Hall

    The bust of Henry Wood at the Royal Albert Hall

    A large bronze bust of Sir Henry Wood sits in front of the organ for the whole Proms season.

    In fact, the Proms is an abbreviation of the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.

    So who is he, exactly?

    Wood was a legendary Proms conductor who in 1895 was offered conductorship of the first ever season of the concerts.

    He remained in his post for a phenomenal 50 years until his death in 1944.

    Wood is remembered every year at the Proms with that bronze bust prominently displayed at the back of the Royal Albert Hall’s stage.

    Once the Proms have finished, a chaplet is taken from Wood’s bust to St Sepulchre’s Church and a service is held in his memory.

  7. Get Involved

    Get in touch

    Where are you waving your flags?

    Let us know where you are watching the Last Night of the Proms - and who’s joining you?

    You can get in touch in the following ways:

    In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise.

    Your contact details will never be published.

  8. Scripts written and ready

    Scripts

    Tonight's Last Night of the Proms is split into two parts

    BBC Proms team go over their scripts

    Presenters Katie Derham, Nicky Spence and Chris Addison from the BBC Proms team rehearse their scripts one final time

  9. Prommers waiting for the number nine bus

    Rachel Flynn
    en route to the Royal Albert Hall

    Prommers waiting for the number 9 bus

    It’s not hard to spot Prommers in central London - the sequins and suits gave it away for this group.

    Waiting at the bus stop, I bumped into Robert, Nicholas, Louisa and Stephen.

    Louisa has performed in three of the Proms this season as part of the BBC Symphony Chorus, but tonight it’s her turn to enjoy the festivities from the audience.

  10. What are the BBC Proms?

    Prom 40-The Bach Collegium Japan conducted by Masaaki Suzuki perform Johann Sebastian Bach:

    Bach being performed at this year's Proms

    The Last Night of the Proms is a concert which acts as the finale to the biggest classical music festival in the world.

    The Proms are a summer programme of shows centred on London’s Royal Albert Hall. The annual event was set up in 1895 and is now run by the BBC.

    This year’s Last Night is the 73rd Prom of the 2024 season.

    Self Esteem and Royal Northern Sinfonia on stage with the audience in the backgroundThomas Jackson/TyneSight Media

    Seating inside the Sage One hall was removed to allow the audience to "prom" last year

    The 2024 Proms have seen some of the world’s best international orchestras and their conductors, as well as non-classical performers.

    It has happened in venues in all four nations of the UK, and returned to the north-east after a successful residency at Sage Gateshead last year.

    Tickets for the Last Night - featuring some of classical music’s top performers - are always a sell-out.

  11. Grab your flags for the grand BBC Proms 2024 finale

    Jack Burgess
    Live editor

    Last Night of the Proms featuring the BBC Symphony Orchestra , Chorus and BBC Singers conducted by Marin Alsop

    In 2023 Last Night of the Proms returned to full capacity for the first time since 2019, following Covid and the Queen's death

    Stars of the classical music world are ready to throw an end-of-season party like no other at London’s Royal Albert Hall tonight.

    Yes, it’s that special time of the year again… the Last Night of the Proms!

    Grammy award-winning American soprano Angel Blue, one of Britain’s best-loved pianists Sir Stephen Hough, and Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo will be joining the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers on stage tonight.

    Audiences in the UK can catch every moment by pressing Watch Live at the top of this page, and you can listen along around the world on BBC Sounds.

    I’ll be conducting the live page from New Broadcasting House and, meanwhile, my colleague Rachel Flynn will be keeping us up-to-date with all the goings on in the Royal Albert Hall.

    From iconic classical pieces to world premieres and, of course, the evening’s patriotic climax – we’ll have the full Liszt of unmissable moments right here, so don’t Strauss about it, we’ve got a Handel on everything (…sorry, couldn't resist).