It's a great honour to conduct the unique and special Last Night of the Proms. I'm extraordinarily proud to be the first woman, but I'm also sad that it's 2013 and there can still be firsts for women. Marin Alsop could not have commented on her invitation to conduct the Last Night next September more appropriately. Her choice by the BBC is on merit but she is right that it has taken far too long for a woman to be given the opportunity. Born in New York in 1956 Alsop studied with Leonard Bernstein and slowly established herself with American provincial orchestras before being invited to take charge of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Britain for eight years. Now she is director of the Baltimore (another first!) and Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestras.
A quick glance over the programmes for the 119th Proms season from 12 July-7 September shows a wealth of great music and fine interpreters with perhaps Daniel Barenboim's traversal of Wagner's Ring cycle with his Berlin orchestra in one week of July as one of the top attractions. There are also 200th anniversary tributes to Wagner and Verdi throughout the season, and the usual diversions. The BBC needs some good news at the moment and the Proms will provide it -- the greatest classical music festival in the world with one thousand tickets at five pounds on sale every day.
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