Prom 36

Berlioz’s exuberant portrait
of seafaring brigands
launches an evening
of colourful virtuosity
with Lionel Bringuier – the
young Frenchman already
established as Associate
Conductor of the Los
Angeles Philharmonic,
who tonight makes his
Proms debut. Renowned
Chopin interpreter Nelson Freire marks the
composer’s bicentenary, and the concert ends with
the joyous final scenes from Ravel’s lavishly scored
pastoral ballet set in Ancient Greece. Roussel’s vivid,
action-packed Third Symphony is one of the finest
flowerings of the French symphonic tradition that
began with Saint-Saëns and Franck.