BBC Proms 2025 features historic overnight concert and world premieres in a summer of firsts

The BBC Proms returns in 2025 with a landmark season that redefines the world’s largest classical music festival. Spanning eight weeks from 18 July to 13 September, this year’s programme blends rich tradition with bold innovation, featuring 86 concerts across the UK and introducing new audiences to a truly global celebration of music.

One of the season’s biggest talking points is the first overnight Prom in more than 40 years. Running from 11pm to 7am, this all-night event is curated by organist Anna Lapwood and features pianist and YouTube sensation Hayato Sumino, cellist Anastasia Kobekina, and the Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Norway’s boundary-pushing Barokksolistene also joins the line-up, led by violinist Bjarte Eike.

The Proms will also reach new locations this year. For the first time, the festival visits Bradford, marking its designation as UK City of Culture 2025, and Sunderland. In addition, there will be three-day residencies in Bristol and Gateshead, and a special concert in Belfast commemorating 100 years of the Shipping Forecast.

Innovation continues with a record number of premieres. A total of 19 world, European or UK premieres will be performed, including 10 BBC commissions. These range from Errollyn Wallen’s 'The Elements' on the First Night to new works by Rachel Portman and Camille Pépin on the Last Night. British composers such as Tom Coult, Mark Simpson, and Sir John Rutter also present new works, alongside international voices including Anthony Davis and Anna Thorvaldsdottir.

The First Night, conducted by Sakari Oramo, opens with Sir Arthur Bliss’s 'Birthday Fanfare for Sir Henry Wood' and includes Vaughan Williams’s rarely heard oratorio 'Sancta civitas'. Violinist Lisa Batiashvili performs Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, while tenor Caspar Singh and baritone Gerald Finley lead the vocal performances.

The Last Night sees conductor Elim Chan lead the BBC Symphony Orchestra, joined by trumpeter Alison Balsom and soprano Louise Alder. Alongside new compositions, the evening promises the Proms’ trademark celebratory atmosphere.

This year’s line-up showcases many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Notable soloists include pianists Yunchan Lim and Sir András Schiff, violinists Hilary Hahn and Janine Jansen, and soprano Golda Schultz.

The Proms also honours key composer anniversaries. Eight works by Shostakovich will be performed to mark 50 years since his death, including a memory-based rendition of Symphony No. 5 by Aurora Orchestra. Tributes are also planned for Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, Arvo Pärt and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

The BBC’s own ensembles are once again central to the festival. The BBC Singers perform in 11 concerts, including the First and Last Nights. Meanwhile, the BBC Symphony Orchestra features prominently throughout the season.

Outside of classical tradition, the Proms continues to explore cross-genre collaborations. St. Vincent and Samara Joy make their Proms debuts with orchestral arrangements of their work. Trevor Nelson returns with the Soul Revolution Prom, tracing the roots of soul and gospel, while Anoushka Shankar presents a new album with the London Contemporary Orchestra.

Family-friendly concerts include two CBeebies Proms and Claudia Winkleman’s 'The Traitors Prom', which reimagines themes of betrayal and suspense through classical works. Accessibility remains key, with tickets starting at £10, half-price for under-18s, and standing tickets at £8.

With every concert broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and 25 televised across BBC channels, the 2025 Proms remains true to its founding aim: bringing world-class music to the widest possible audience. From historic firsts to unforgettable performances, this season promises a summer like no other.