BBC Proms Season 2026 Episode 1 - First Night of the Proms

Airdate: 2026-Jul-17

Episode summary:

The classical music festival gets under way live from the Royal Albert Hall. Petroc Trelawny and Georgia Mann guide viewers through a night of music-making to kick off the summer's Proms season. Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man opens, followed by Gershwin's An American in Paris, and Ravel's bluesy Piano Concerto, performed by pianist Yunchan Lim. A world premiere by Josephine Stephenson starts the second half, followed by Finzi's ode to the patron saint of music - For St Cecilia - with tenor Thomas Atkins. Dalia Stasevska conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Chorus.

About BBC Proms series:

BBC Proms is the world's greatest classical music festival.