According to Classic FM, ‘Mozart considered opera to be the supreme musical language, where everything was perfectly possible and, with a genius such as Mozart’s, possibly perfect’. The overture to The Marriage of Figaro is one of the world’s most recognisable pieces of western classical music, an exhilarating opening to this year’s festival. This is followed by Beethoven's first piano concerto, which blends classical structure with revolutionary ideas, featuring a strong, symphonic first movement, a lyrical slow movement and a witty, energetic finale. His seventh symphony features driving rhythmic energy, bold harmonic movement, and an overall sense of propulsion. It was encored at its première and has remained popular ever since.

Junyan Chen won second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2024, as well as the chamber music prize and award for the outstanding performance of a work by a woman composer. A Proms’ favourite, Fantasia Orchestra is conducted by its founder Tom Fetherstonhaugh.