BBC Proms 2026: Royal Albert Hall Lineup Features “Afterlife – Visions of the Beyond”
The BBC Proms has announced details for a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall on July 23, 2026, titled “Afterlife – Visions of the Beyond.” The evening program explores themes of mortality and transcendence through a diverse selection of 20th-century classical works, broadcast via France Musique.
The concert is divided into two distinct halves, bringing together multiple choirs and orchestras under the direction of conductors Ryan Bancroft and Kazuki Yamada.
Part One: Boulanger, Szymanowski, Messiaen, and Strauss
The first half of the concert opens with Lili Boulanger and Suzanne Karpelès’s Vieille prière bouddhique (Prière quotidienne pour tout l’univers), written between 1914 and 1917 for tenor, mixed choir, and orchestra. This is followed by Karol Szymanowski’s 1925–1926 Stabat Mater, opus 53, sung in Polish across its six movements by a roster of guest soloists.
Vocal soloists for the evening include soprano Mari Eriksmoen, mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, tenor James Way, and baritone Szymon Mechlinski.
The program continues with Olivier Messiaen’s 1933 symphonic meditations L’Ascension, showcasing the composer’s vivid orchestral writing through movements such as Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père and Alleluias sereins d’une âme qui désire le Ciel. Richard Strauss’s 1889 tone poem Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration, opus 24) closes out the first half.
Performances in the opening segment feature the BBC National Chorus of Wales, the London Philharmonic Choir, and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with Ryan Bancroft conducting.
Part Two: Poulenc and the Jussen Brothers
The second half shifts toward mid-20th-century French modernism with works by Francis Poulenc. The orchestra performs Poulenc’s neoclassical Sinfonietta (FP 141), composed in 1947, which moves through four energetic movements from the opening Allegro con fuoco to the lively Finale: Très vite et très gai.
Poulenc’s 1932 Concerto in D minor (FP 61) for two pianos and orchestra follows, featuring Dutch piano duo Lucas Jussen and Arthur Jussen. Kazuki Yamada takes over conducting duties, leading the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
As an encore, pianists Lucas and Arthur Jussen perform Strausseinander, a 2019 work for two pianos written by Igor Roma.
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