The Proms
The Proms are the BBC's summer season of classical concerts, held mainly at the Royal Albert Hall from mid-July to mid-September, with cheap standing tickets for "Prommers". The full name is the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, after the conductor who led them from the first season in 1895.
In practice
There is a concert almost every evening of the season, often more than one, from symphonies and opera to film music and late-night programmes, and every Prom is broadcast on BBC Radio 3. The arena floor and the top gallery of the Royal Albert Hall are kept for standing "promming" tickets, sold on the day at a low price, so a world-class orchestra can cost less than a cinema ticket. The season ends with the Last Night of the Proms, a celebratory concert of flags and singing that is televised across the country.
Why it matters to newcomers
The Proms are one of London's great bargains and a good way into British cultural life. Check the season announcement in spring, then queue for promming tickets or buy online on the day where available. The Last Night is hard to get into; the rest of the season is not.
Related
- West End - London's theatre district
- Blue plaque - for the composers and performers who lived in London
Source: BBC Proms.