Last Night of the Proms review – star turns, good-natured flag waving and a rich Rule, Britannia!

Royal Albert Hall, LondonBill Bailey played a mean typewriter, Brian May and Roger Taylor raised laughs with Bohemian Rhapsody and trumpeter Alison Balsom bid a poignant farewell at just 46For many, the banner waving at classical music’s annual jamboree evokes pride and a celebration of shared heritage. The discomfort felt by others may have been sharper this year as Promenaders heading to South Kensington shared the streets with the flag-draped hordes who had come to town in support of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.Inside the Royal Albert Hall, however, all was good-natured inclusivity, with pennants from around the globe dotting a sea of bunting from the UK and EU. Perhaps that was the diversity organisers were hoping to capture in a hodgepodge programme where 20-or-so disparate composers battled for attention. Continue reading...

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