REVIEW: BBC PROMS - DAME EVELYN GLENNIE AND THE FANTASIA ORCHESTRA

🎭 BBC Proms: Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Fantasia Orchestra

📍 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AP

🗓 Tuesday 11th August 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

PURE MAGIC

There is something undeniably intoxicating about returning to the iconic, historic walls of the Royal Albert Hall just two short days after my very first venture into the Proms. Stepping back into that cavernous space on Tuesday night, the air felt completely different. I was there for the Late Night Prom, an evening promised to be a boundary-pushing showcase featuring the legendary Dame Evelyn Glennie alongside the brilliant Fantasia Orchestra.

Let’s be clear, this wasn’t your standard, stuffy classical concert that reads like a dry press release. This was a living, breathing tapestry of deep, collective listening. Curated beautifully under the baton of conductor Tom Fetherstonhaugh, and bolstered by the exquisite textures of the BBC Singers, the evening felt less like a formal recital and more like an intimate, shared journey through sound.

The atmosphere pulsing through the auditorium before things kicked off was absolutely wonderful. Personally, I always get this sudden, irreplaceable twinge of excited anticipation the exact moment an orchestra begins to warm up. That chaotic cacophony of strings tuning and woodwinds fluttering never fails to give me goosebumps, and Tuesday night was absolutely no exception. The collective hum of the audience waiting in the dimming lights set the perfect stage.

Having only discovered the Fantasia Orchestra earlier this year, I have quickly transitioned into an absolute fan of their work. I particularly adore their ongoing collaborations with the immensely talented arranger Harry Baker, so you can imagine my delight when the evening kicked off with two of his spectacular arrangements. First up was John Coltrane’s Welcome, followed closely by Duke Ellington’s It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing). Hearing those jazz sensibilities recontextualised for an orchestra was spectacular. The sound swelled upwards, filling the vast auditorium with a gloriously astonishing grandeur that felt simultaneously massive and completely welcoming.

The curation only grew more inspired from there. Two major highlights for me were an orchestral rendition of Radiohead’s haunting Pyramid Song and the utterly mesmerizing Panda Chant II by Meredith Monk. If you've never experienced Panda Chant II, it's an incredible piece of minimalist vocal and body percussion where the musicians abandon their traditional instruments to become the rhythm themselves. Having literally just witnessed the official Proms debut of this piece at the Relaxed Prom on Sunday morning, it was a profound joy to see it brought back to life in this late-night setting.

We were also treated to a spectacular world premiere: Héloïse Werner’s The Wood Pigeon, a brilliant BBC Commission. I’ll admit, when the piece first started, it felt a bit strange - but only because it was so unapologetically different from anything else on the programme. Yet, as the piece progressed and its unique language unfolded, I completely understood it. By the end, I was utterly captivated by the sheer brilliance of Werner's sonic storytelling.

But if you want to talk about the absolute pinnacle of the evening, look no further than an excerpt from Vincent Ho’s Sandman’s Castle. Here, Glennie stood entirely solo before a massive tam-tam - which is essentially a colossal orchestral gong. Usually, gongs are relegated to one-off, earth-shattering dynamic punctuation, but this piece flipped that narrative entirely on its head. Using a fascinating arsenal of different beaters applied to various precise areas of the metal, Glennie coaxed out waves of diverse soundscapes and textures you’d never believe could come from a tam-tam. The audience was completely transfixed. The bold, deliberate spaces of silence she left between notes created a tension so palpable and breathtaking that you genuinely could have heard a pin drop in that cavernous room. These unpitched sonic waves felt like a rare, beautiful window into how Glennie herself experiences music, having been profoundly deaf since childhood. It was an astonishing reminder that music doesn't need a soaring melodic line to break your heart. A simple, masterfully sculpted swell of pure vibration can be every bit as deeply emotional.

Having spent my Sunday morning at the Relaxed Prom - which is a wonderfully inclusive format designed to provide a casual, accessible concert environment with a completely relaxed attitude toward noise and movement - it was fantastic to be back in the hall for a full-scale, late-night production. The production team added dramatic, immersive lighting designs and a noticeably louder, punchier sound mix that genuinely elevated the entire sensory experience to another level.

It has been an absolute honour to have been invited to attend the BBC Proms for the very first time this year, and getting to watch the Fantasia Orchestra was the ultimate icing on the cake. Tom Fetherstonhaugh has a truly wonderful knack for inventive, accessible programming. More than that, his genuine warmth and radiant love for the art form completely emits from the stage. It’s a beautifully infectious energy that bridges the gap between the stage and the audience, capping off a perfect 5-star night.

The BBC Proms continue at the Royal Albert Hall until 12th September. CLICK HERE for tickets.

CLICK HERE to find out more about Fantasia Orchestra, including details of upcoming performances.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of BBC Proms: Late Night Prom was gifted by ANR PR and the BBC who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

PERFORMERS:

Featuring:    Dame Evelyn Glennie and Fantasia Orchestra

Conductor:    Tom Fetherstonhaugh

Vocals:    BBC Singers

BSL Interpreter:    Sean Chandler

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 20 minutes, with no interval

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