The hugely popular Battle Proms picnic and firework concerts are set in some of the most prestigious stately home locations in the country. An unrivalled blend of musical talent, expert displays, spectacular pyrotechnics and a celebratory atmosphere makes the Battle Proms a truly memorable occasion.
There will be a full two hour programme of exquisite classical music performed by the renowned New English Concert Orchestra conducted by Douglas Coombes, plus of course all of the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ favourites performed by Channel 4’s winning soprano Denise Leigh. Audiences will also be treated to a tear-jerking aerial display from a WWII Spitfire, over 200 live cannons, mounted Napoleonic skill-at-arms displays and breathtaking fireworks to music. The electric atmosphere is infectious, and as well as an enthusiastic following of regulars, each year many new visitors are learning the magic of a summer evening at the Battle Proms.
At the Battle Proms you can immerse your senses. Experience the explosive colour, sparkle and spectacle of the cannon fire and the dancing fireworks lighting up the sky above a roaring crowd. It’s the pop and fizz of champagne, the thunder of hooves, the ground-shaking gun fire, the unmistakeable rumble of the Spitfire engine, the scent of the gunpowder, and the sublime music on a warm evening breeze.
In this special year of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and the London Olympics, the Battle Proms offer a wonderful way to enjoy the best of British and join in with the flag-waving spirit that will soon be gripping the whole nation. Two hundred years after Napoleon’s famous retreat from Moscow, this is also the year to experience Tchaikovsky’s celebrated 1812 Overture with the full thunderous complement of live cannon fire and fireworks – unforgettable! The concert also pays tribute to 100 years since the death of Jules Massenet with a virtuouso performance of the Meditation from Thais by yoiung violinist Katy Smith.
Nowhere else in the country can you experience Beethoven's Wellington's Victory (the 'Battle Symphony') performed with the full complement of 193 cannons as per the original score. This thunderous percussion section is fired electronically from the stage by a member of the orchestra, and promises an unforgettable spectacle.
Over the last 15 years the organisers of the Battle Proms have developed what is now one of the most distinct and comprehensive concert programmes in the UK; this is an exceptional evening not to be missed.