Proms go dark: The Traitors and all-night concerts planned for 2025

The BBC Proms is set to host an exciting event called the Dark Till Dawn Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, with Claudia Winkleman as the host. This unique concert is designed to encourage fans to stay up all night and enjoy a magical experience filled with music. The plans for this special concert were revealed in the program for the summer festival, which will also showcase a variety of talented artists, including Nicholas McCarthy, a one-handed pianist, and the rock star St Vincent. Additionally, there will be a tribute to the renowned film composer Bernard Herrmann. The beloved CBeebies Prom will also make a return this year, and Claudia Winkleman will lead a concert that explores the intense and haunting music from the popular TV show The Traitors. The concert will feature classical pieces that revolve around themes of betrayal, as well as reimagined pop songs that were featured in the reality show. Among the highlights of the classical repertoire will be Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth, and the young Korean pianist Yunchan Lim will perform Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 4. On September 5, Sir Simon Rattle will conduct Chineke! , which is Europe's first orchestra made up of Black and ethnically diverse musicians, for the first time. Their concert will include a performance of a piece by George Walker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, which was created in response to significant historical events. The 2025 Proms season will consist of a total of 86 concerts, with several taking place in cities such as Gateshead, Bristol, Bradford, Belfast, and Sunderland. Tickets for the concerts will go on sale at 9 am on May 17. The on-the-day 'Promming' tickets will be priced at £8, including booking fees, while seated tickets will start at £10 plus booking fees. Anna Lapwood, an organist, came up with the idea for the all-night concert while playing the grand organ at the Royal Albert Hall, which is often referred to as 'the voice of Jupiter. ' Anna has spent many nights practicing in the hall and found it fascinating that the building remains active overnight, with cleaners and security guards present, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the movie A Night At The Museum. She expressed her excitement about inviting people into this iconic space during the night. The program for the all-night concert will feature various artists, including YouTube pianist Hayato Sumino, Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina, and the Norwegian ensemble Barroksolistene, who aim to recreate the lively atmosphere of a 17th Century English tavern. Anna mentioned that the artists share a passion for experimenting with music, and she hopes to arrange some collaborations, although she acknowledged the challenges of coordinating everyone's schedules. The Last Night concert on September 13 will be conducted by Elim Chan, a conductor from Hong Kong. This summer's Proms season marks the first since the departure of the previous director, David Pickard, who has been succeeded by Hannah Donat. Hannah, who was previously the director of artistic planning, has worked closely with Sam Jackson, the controller of BBC Radio 3, to shape the festival. Hannah likens the Proms to Wimbledon, stating that everyone enjoys attending the Proms, even if they do not regularly go to concerts. She believes that the Proms create a warm and informal atmosphere, allowing attendees to enjoy the music without the pressure of knowing every detail about the repertoire. Some concerts to look forward to include a performance by Samara Joy, who recently won a Grammy for best jazz album, and Nicholas McCarthy, who will make his Proms debut by playing a piano concerto originally composed for a one-handed pianist. Claudia Winkelman has also planned a special concert featuring music from The Traitors, where she has requested a cloak and an owl for the performance. Other notable events include Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, a concert celebrating 100 years of the Shipping Forecast, and a performance of The Planets alongside music from Star Wars. The season will conclude with the traditional Last Night concert, which will feature a mix of popular songs and a special piece of music that connects to Alfred Hitchcock's film The Man Who Knew Too Much. For those unable to attend the concerts in person, all performances will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds, with 25 of the concerts also being televised.