Dumbed down Proms

BBC’s bizarre plan for Ibiza dance party at classical celebration

FOR 120 years it has been a great British institution, bringing world- class performances of classical music to the public. But now the BBC has been accused of dumbing down the Proms – by holding an Ibizastyle dance party.

This year’s Proms will include a late-night concert hosted by DJ Pete Tong, who will pay ‘homage to Ibiza and its infectious, energetic brand of club music’.

It will take place on July 29, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Radio 1’s broadcasts from Ibiza, and will reinterpret ‘club classics’ such as Music Sounds Better With You by Stardust and Rhythm Is Rhythm’s Strings Of Life.

Proms director Edward Blakeman said it was a ‘natural’ move, adding: ‘These 20 years of dance have been a huge phenomenon on Radio 1 so why not celebrate it in a Proms way with a big orchestra? We do now live in a world, thank God, where you can like all kinds of music.’

Live music at the so-called Pete Tong Prom will be played by the Jules Buckley Heritage Orchestra, which has worked with pop stars such as Arctic Monkeys, Professor Green and Basement Jaxx.

The BBC was accused of ‘undermining’ the Proms by Conservative Bill Cash, who said: ‘The Proms are one of the great British institutions. Like so many institutions, it is under attack by people who think that being novel is necessarily good. The world loves the Proms as they are. It is extremely damaging to undermine the ethos of the Proms by bringing in fake originality.

‘The Proms already have a good, convivial finish, and that is part of the tradition, but to undermine the framework and ethos of the Proms is unacceptable.’

The Pete Tong Prom is not the only surprising addition to this year’s line-up at the Royal Albert Hall, which runs from July 17 to September 12. There will be a ‘grime symphony’ featuring rapper Wretch 32, and the Last Night Of The Proms will include a singalong section inspired by The Sound Of Music.

The series of 92 concerts will also include a tribute to Sherlock Holmes, with a performance of pieces referenced in Sir Conan Doyle’s books, including compositions by Wagner and Paganini. It is one of a number of Sunday matinees on the schedule, which are designed to attract families with children as young as five.

Sir David Attenborough will host another of the afternoon concerts, featuring music from his natural history television series Life Story.

More traditional fare includes the complete Beethoven piano concertos and Sir Simon Rattle conducting Elgar’s The Dream Of Gerontius.