Hello and welcome to your daily BBC Proms preview from BBC Music Magazine. Below you’ll find all you need to know about Prom 57, at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 2 September. It’s a loving tribute to the iconic American composer, conductor and arranger Henry Mancini.
We recommend bookmarking www.classical-music.com so that you can easily check back in every day until the end of this year’s Proms (it all culminates in the famous Last Night of the Proms, on Saturday 14 September). Each day you’ll find a helpful preview to that night’s Prom. And if you want a guide to all the Proms taking place this year, we’ve got that covered too: just head to our comprehensive 2024 BBC Proms guide.
What’s on at the BBC Proms today?
Today’s Prom 57 is a tribute to the great Henry Mancini (1924–1994). This era-defining composer, conductor, and arranger was the creative force behind some of our best loved film and television themes. Over a 40-year career, Mancini left an unforgettable impact on the worlds of both music and film with his highly distinctive melodies and vivid orchestrations.
If we had to sum up Mancini’s music in three words, we’d probably go for ‘charm’, ‘wit’, and ‘elegance’. Some of his most famous work includes the music for The Pink Panther (1963): Mancini’s jazzy, sinuous and playful theme has become one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of music in the hustory of film, perhaps of the 20th century as a whole.
He also famously wrote the wonderfully wistful, gentle song ‘Moon River’ from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s: known and loved to almost everyone, and covered by many artists since. Other films that Mancini scored included Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and 1963’s Charade (1963). He also composed a classic, jazz-inspired theme for the 1958 TV series Peter Gunn.
Over the course of his prolific and groundbreaking career, Mancini won many awards and accolades, including four Academy Awards, 20 Grammy Awards, and a Golden Globe.
But his work didn’t stop at composing film and TV themes: Mancini was also a skilled conductor and arranger, often touring with orchestras and releasing a string of acclaimed albums that explored everything from pop to classical via jazz, lounge and easy listening.
Who is performing at the BBC Proms today?
Today’s Proms performers are the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Edwin Outwater.
And what music will we hear?
They will perform a selection of Henry Mancini classics including the slinky ‘Lujon’ and themes from The Pink Panther and Peter Gunn. There will also be music from Mancini’s contemporaries – timeless hits from the lounge music and space-age pop genres Mancini helped inspire, including tracks by Burt Bacharach, Les Baxter and Juan García Esquivel.
Will tonight’s Prom be on TV?
Yes! Ultra Lounge: Henry Mancini and Beyond will be live on BBC Radio 3, and will also be recorded for broadcast on BBC Four soon.
When does tonight’s Prom start?
Prom 57, Ultra Lounge: Henry Mancini and Beyond, gets underway at 7.30pm at the Royal Albert Hall.
And how much are tickets to the BBC Proms today?
Tickets are priced between £15 and £64.