ONE of the highlights of Durban’s music calendar, the annual Last Night of the Proms concert, presented by the British Cultural and Heritage Association, takes place at The Playhouse on Saturday, 3 October, starting at 7pm.
Richard Cock will be back at the helm of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, with the Durban Symphonic Choir set to lead the audience in raising the rafters of The Playhouse Opera Theatre during the 25th show in the much-loved series.
Featured on this year’s soloist roster are two of KZNPO’s distinguished principal players, Russian-born cellist, Boris Kerimov, and the Romanian French horn player, Sorin Osorhean. Sharing the spotlight with them will be the rising young baritone, Thuso Gumede. Also featured will be the KZN Pipes and Drums group and Celtic dancers, Melissa and Samantha Wood from the Bronwyn Parker Dance Studio.
Enthusiasts can look forward to a bumper programme of concert warhorses. These include, among others, O Fortuna from Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’, Some Enchanted Evening from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Va Pensiero (the hugely popular Chorus of Hebrew Slaves) from Verdi’s Nabucco, Glazunov’s Reverie, Finlandia by Sibelius and the Leroy Anderson evergreen, Blue Tango.
Other items to be enjoyed include the seductive serenade, Deh Vieni alla Finestra from Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’, the anthem, I was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry, Lord of the Dance, Tango in D by Albeniz, the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’, as well as proms fixtures such as Parry’s Jerusalem, Thomas Arne’s Rule Britannia and Sir Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No 1.
Tickets range from R140 to R210. Early booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. Tickets are available through Computicket outlets at Shoprite Checkers, telephonically on 0861 915 8000 or online at www.computicket.com. Alternatively, call The Playhouse box office on 031 369 9540 (office hours).
