Prom 72 – Symphonie Fantastique

Part of the BBC Proms.

A diabolical witches’ sabbath, a riotous ball, a march to the gallows and an unrequited passion make up the hallucinatory narrative of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. Inspired by the composer’s own romantic infatuation with a young actress, the score is a cinematic fantasy full of tragedy and passion, a work teeming with orchestral drama – by turns gorgeous and grotesque. Nicholas Collon and the Aurora Orchestra perform this grandiose work from memory, in a specially devised production incorporating elements of design, lighting and choreography, as well as Berlioz’s own words about his music.