BBC Proms: What's on and how to get tickets

The musical jamboree starts in three weeks. Here's what to expect

Last Night of the Proms
Revellers take part in the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London
(Image credit: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images)

The Proms is perhaps the most lavish and hotly anticipated event in the classical music calendar.

With daily performances by some of the world's finest musicians, the BBC's eight-week season of orchestral music will once more feature sweeping symphonies and opulent operas, broadcast live across the world.

Here is a quick guide to what's on and when and how to get tickets:

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What are the dates?

This year, the Proms start on Friday 14 July, with events including a world premiere of the BBC-commissioned St John’s Dance by Tom Coult and a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor.

The centrepiece of the event, Last Night of the Proms, takes place on Saturday 9 September at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with a programme of works by ten composers.

What are the highlights?

Chineke!, the UK's first black and minority ethnic orchestra founded by double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku, make their Proms debut on 30 August, with pieces by Dvorak and Handel among others.

On 3 September, toothpick-wielding conductor Valery Gergiev guides St Petersburg's Mariinsky Orchestra through a thoroughly Russian programme, including Tchaikovsky's Third Piano Concerto and Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.

Another sure-fire winner will be a semi-staging of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1942 musical Oklahoma! by the John Wilson Orchestra on 11 August.

How can I get a ticket?

With the exception of Last Night…, tickets for all performances at the Royal Albert Hall are on sale now, while Proms At... shows, hosted at other venues around the UK, go on sale at 9am today.

Tickets for all the indoor events can be bought here. Tickets for Last Night of the Proms are already sold out - the ballot closed on 9 June. They are currently going on auction sites such as ViaGoGo for prices of £800 for restricted view seats to upwards of £3,000.

Lots of tickets are still available for the Proms in the Park events across the country, with prices starting at £47 and a selection of hampers and refreshments available to pre-book at extra cost. More information can be found on the BBC Proms in the Park website.

If a concert is sold out, the BBC recommends fans "keep trying, as returns often become available".

Will it be on television?

The BBC will provide full coverage of all events live on Radio 3, and Friday and Saturday night concerts will be broadcast on BBC4. The First and Last Night of the Proms will be shown on BBC2.

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