Proms question - JEG

[David-G]

John Eliot Gardiner and his orchestra always have a Prom. Usually something rather meaty, I suspect it may be Berlioz this year because of the anniversary.

My question is - based on based Proms schedules, can anyone tell me when this is likely to be? (e.g. early August / late August / September...) Booking for the Edinburgh Festival opens on Wednesday, and I would like to minimise the chances of a clash with the JEG Prom.

Can anyone advise?

[bluestateprommer]

John Eliot Gardiner and his orchestra always have a Prom. Usually something rather meaty, I suspect it may be Berlioz this year because of the anniversary.

My question is - based on based Proms schedules, can anyone tell me when this is likely to be? (e.g. early August / late August / September...) Booking for the Edinburgh Festival opens on Wednesday, and I would like to minimise the chances of a clash with the JEG Prom. Can anyone advise?

This was disclosed in another thread. The JEG Prom this summer will be a performance of Benvenuto Cellini:

https://monteverdi.co.uk/berlioz-150-benvenuto-cellini

"The Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique’s five-year commitment to the music of Hector Berlioz – which has seen them showcase varied programmes of the composer’s works across Europe and the United States, and at the BBC Proms over the past four consecutive years – will culminate in 2019 by marking the 150th anniversary of Berlioz’s death. In the summer, the ORR will be joined by the Monteverdi Choir to perform a series of staged concerts of Berlioz’s first opera, in what will be the first modern performances of the piece on period instruments."

Nerd bit that I can't resist including:

"The score of the work exists in three main versions, and for the 2019 performances John Eliot Gardiner has selected parts of all three, incorporating part of Berlioz’s initial score before the rehearsals in 1838; the version with changes made during the first production; and the revised version created by Berlioz for the Weimar revival of 1852, conducted by Franz Liszt."

The scheduled date is 2 September 2019, per this other link.

BTW, maybe it's time to start the Proms 2019 sub-forum, to migrate those threads out of the Proms 2018 sub-forum.

[David-G]

Just what I needed to know. Thank you so much! I thought the Forum would come up trumps.

[Dave2002]

Now I have an Edinburgh Festival query. I can't find any sensible details of what's on at the EIF. I found this site - https://www.eif.co.uk/ - which seems better than most, but all I can find out is that there's going to be a production of the Rite of Spring, and a couple of concerts by Daniel Harding with the Orchestre de Paris.
I would really want to know what is being peformed at the concerts if I thought I might attend. Also, is there any opera?

I don't want to "have" to search through lots of irrelevant web sites in the off chance of finding a definitive listing - or does a "definitive" listing only emerge on the same day as booking opens? As mentioned, the opening day (for bookings ...) is 27th March.

[David-G]

Now I have an Edinburgh Festival query. I can't find any sensible details of what's on at the EIF. I found this site - https://www.eif.co.uk/ - which seems better than most, but all I can find out is that there's going to be a production of the Rite of Spring, and a couple of concerts by Daniel Harding with the Orchestre de Paris.
I would really want to know what is being peformed at the concerts if I thought I might attend. Also, is there any opera?

I don't want to "have" to search through lots of irrelevant web sites in the off chance of finding a definitive listing - or does a "definitive" listing only emerge on the same day as booking opens? As mentioned, the opening day (for bookings ...) is 27th March.

I think what happens is that full details will appear on the EIF site at 10.00 (I think?) tomorrow morning. You can then book straight away (if you are a Friend, presumably later for non-Friends). Not very user-friendly of them to give you no grace time between announcement and booking.

[Dave2002]

I think what happens is that full details will appear on the EIF site at 10.00 (I think?) tomorrow morning. You can then book straight away (if you are a Friend, presumably later for non-Friends). Not very user-friendly of them to give you no grace time between announcement and booking.

Maybe they get swamped by requests, which is what happens with the Proms, but not having the details beforehand seems unlikely to mitigate against that problem, and seems a little careless. Thanks anyway.

[Cockney Sparrow]

We visit Edinburgh in Festival period most years, going in for one or two days, for the day, but only do the fringe - often with some serendipity on which "experiences" we go to. I organise our opera bookings here in S. England, and the Proms when it comes out (and in the case of the latter when the fateful booking day works, or more often, doesn't work for me).

I've passed on EIF, given that a lot of the artists can be heard in London on their tours. But no doubt one year we will "do" the EIF - and to make it worthwhile I'll shell out for Friends membership.

On a couple of searches, I found this page, which shows the programme is revealed on 27 March.

https://www.eif.co.uk/about/news-and-media/get-ready-for-the-programme-reveal

As a lowest rank Friend, booking would be 3 days after the launch of the programme. Public booking follows on 6 April. I could pay more for a higher level of Friends membership - only perhaps.

(Have to say, if I shelled out £3,000 as an "Ambassador plus" Friend, I wouldn't be happy to be told booking was open for me on 27 March, the same day as the programme is revealed. I am sceptical that an Ambassador plus Friend really doesn't have access to the programme before the launch (or "Reveal" as its called)).

Proms - R. Albert Hall
As to the Proms (R. Albert Hall - the original Henry Wood variety). Seems to me it has to be a huge marketing exercise, and draw in an audience far beyond the London concert going pool. Tourists, audiences more used to other music, giving Proms type music a try etc etc.

You and I know there are many seats its not worth making the trek to South Ken, and paying for - we'd have a better listening experience on our mobile phone with reasonable headphones.

So the programme is released where it makes maximum news and publicity impact as part of the effort to sell all those seats. I just have to accept that, having fixed my holiday dates, I might miss the chance to see and hear something I really want to go to (if I were able to get tickets in one of those limited places in the Hall with a reasonable acoustic). But, with the financial underpinning provided by the BBC, it does mean there is the chance to experience some wonderful performers in London.