As every summer, Radio Romania Music will broadcast live several of the concerts that will be held as part of the London-based BBC Proms Festival. We can get a glimpse of the festive spirit and the grandiose unfolding of musical prowess from the concert programmes of the 2013 edition: the "Britten", "Wagner" and "Lutoslawski" Anniversaries, oratorios by Edward Elgar performed by notable soloists and arranged by Sir Andrew Davis, masterpieces of the lyrical theatre in the " Opera Nights " series, French music performed by stars of the Parisian scene, and first auditions of works created by the most important composers of contemporary music. Between 12^th July and 7^th September, artists of the highest calibre such as Bryn Terfel, Nigel Kennedy, Joyce DiDonato, as well as maestros of the baton such as Valery Gergiev, Lorin Maazel, Antonio Pappano and Mariss Jansons will perform in a series of 92 concerts. Daniel Barenboim and the Berlin State Opera Choir brings for the first time on stage at the Proms Festival Wagner's tetralogy, commemorating 200 years since the composer's birth.

The opening concert will be held at the Royal Albert Hall by the BBC Symphonic Orchestra under the baton of its new main conductor - Sakari Oramo, with the participation of a few British choral ensembles and a number of renowned soloists. Works by Julian Anderson, Benjamin Britten, Serghei Rahmaninov, Witold Lutoslawski and Ralph Vaughan Williams will resound in the concert halls, and Stephen Hough will be the performing soloist of the famous Rapsody op. 43 on a theme of Paganini. Stephen Hough, a distinctive figure of the contemporary artistic world, pianist, writer and painter, will visit Bucharest in September as a guest of the 'George Enescu' International Festival. In the interview that we have prepared for the intermission of the live broadcast from London, Stephen Hough says the following: "I am certain that we are talking about two of the most important European festivals, with both national and artistic identities. When we think of Romania, we think of the Enescu Festival. When we think of London, we think of the BBC Proms Festivals. It's wonderful that the art from both these countries can be showcased at such a high level, this spirit must be kept alive in Europe."

Friday, 12^th July, starting at 21:30, we invite you to join Radio Romania Music for a resounding international event, the opening of the BBC Proms Festival!