Latest news with #KarenNíBhroin
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Traitors Prom review – iconic show's greatest hits turn the melodrama up to 11
Even the Royal Albert Hall's public announcement system was getting into the spirit of things. 'Traitors and faithful, this is your five-minute warning. Please take your seats. The concert begins in five minutes.' In the hall references to iconic moments of the TV show upped the ante. Three large screens played montages from the series, and a familiar-looking round table stood in the centre of the promming arena. Twelve dancers dressed alternately in the distinctive traitor cloaks and masks, or as the more cartoonish characters of the tasks (It-referencing clowns, lurching scarecrows trailing straw from a particularly nightmarish Wizard of Oz), stalked through the auditorium. The stage too was packed with the massed ranks of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Singers, all led by Irish conductor Karen Ní Bhroin, making a confident proms debut. Master of ceremonies for the first ever Traitors Prom was its much-loved presenter Claudia Winkleman – knitwear and fingerless gloves understandably missing on a humid July afternoon but clad in an elegant black velvet jacket, eyeliner and fringe intact. She arrived on stage heralded by a piper and a palpable sense of excitement. The reality TV show – basically wink murder in a gorgeously furnished highlands castle – has been one of the BBC's greatest successes in recent years. Its soundtrack, which features slowed down covers of chart hits, big on gothic menace, slow of beat, is an integral part of its atmosphere, with the occasional piece of classical music part of the mix (Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky – so long as the melodrama can be turned up to 11). 'With its themes of betrayal and treachery and intrigue, the Traitors fits classical music like a glove,' said Proms director Sam Jackson at the season's launch in April. In the event however, the classical content was slight, touched only glancingly on betrayal, and was careful not to overstay its welcome, while over-orchestrated cover versions of songs by the likes of Billie Eilish (Bad Guy), Oliva Rodrigo (vampire) and Imagine Dragons (Believer) and Sam Watts' Traitors theme tune dominated the programme. The BBCSSO and Ní Bhroin proved their versatility as they moved from the stodge of Hidden Citizens' Nothing Is as it Seems to whirling colours of Saint-Saëns's Danse macabre; tenor Andrés Presno was impassioned and sparklingly clear in Cavaradossi's heartbreaking aria E lucevan le stelle from Puccini's Tosca, the opening clarinet solo particularly beautiful. During Dance of the Clowns from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet eight performers in fright wigs and boiler suits jerked as if electrocuted at the front of the Albert Hall stage. Singers Hayla and Andrea Lykke, sharing pop performing duties, have powerful voices but in the hall lyrics were lost and both gave curiously uninvolved performances to each of their three numbers. Darrell Smith brought more energy to Believer and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Murder on the Dancefloor, which closed the show on a high energy note. Luckily, a handful of ex-contestants were on hand – their tongues firmly in their cheeks – to keep things fun. Minah and Linda were on stage to reminisce briefly with Claudia, Alexander, whose backwards singing (you had to be there) was one of series 3's best moments, was 'discovered' in the ranks of the BBC Symphony Chorus. The concert's finale featured, of course, the unmasking of a traitor. Series 2 winner, Harry Clark, was found sitting at the Royal Albert Hall's organ. 'I'm the best traitor in the Proms,' he shouted, echoing his famous victory cry, twirling his cape. Available to listen again on BBC Sounds until 13 October. The concert was filmed for TV, transmission date to be announced.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Meet the Wexford woman who will conduct BBC's The Traitors Prom – ‘It's a huge deal'
Enniscorthy Guardian Today at 12:57 A Wexford woman will be at the helm of this year's BBC's The Traitors Prom today, where she will conduct the orchestra through some of the most iconic music featured in the tv show phenomenon and more. Karen Ní Bhroin from Ferns has quickly established herself as one of Ireland's foremost young conductors, with a career that spans both sides of the Atlantic. A music education graduate of Trinity College Dublin, she earned her Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting at Kent State University, Ohio, where she studied with Dr. Jungho Kim as his Graduate Assistant Conductor.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The Traitors brings all the intrigue, suspense and drama from the hit TV series to the BBC Proms
Claudia Winkleman will be joined by a host of The Traitors stars including BBC Radio 1 presenter Minah Shannon, former opera singer Linda Rands and classical music enthusiast Alexander Dragonetti – with more to be announced – alongside special guest singers and BBC ensembles, for an unforgettable night of music, treachery and surprises. The cloaks will be well and truly on at the gothic Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 26 July for two very special concerts with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus and a selection of guest vocalists, conducted by Karen Ní Bhroin. The Proms audience will find themselves fully immersed in The Traitors with previous cast members, stand out moments from the show and the familiar heartbeats of the series making an appearance. Be prepared for banishments, deception and all the drama from the Round Table. The hit BBC TV series, which drew in an average audience of more than 10 million for Series 3, features a variety of classical music to punctuate the action from the Scottish Highlands castle. The Traitors Prom will playfully feature these well-known classical works from composers including Mozart, Puccini and Tchaikovsky alongside so called 'Traitors Pop': gothic and symphonic versions of chart tracks by artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Britney Spears and The Hanging Tree, which plays a very special part in every series of The Traitors. The Proms Faithful will also get the chance to hear Sam Watts's original music from the series, with the world premiere of two specially extended orchestral versions of that famous theme tune. But don't be surprised if someone starts singing backwards and, whether you're a Faithful or a Traitor, trust no one… Repertoire includes: Hidden Citizens - Nothing Is As It Seems Rob Dougan / Pete Tong - Clubbed to Death Ludovico Einaudi - Experience James Newton Howard - The Hanging Tree London Grammar - Hell To The Liars Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Lacrimosa Carl Orff - Carmina Burana - O Fortuna Giacomo Puccini - Tosca - E lucevan le stelle Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker – Divertissement: Mother Gigogne and the Clowns The Traitors Prom has matinee (3pm) and evening (7.30pm) performances at the BBC Proms on Saturday 26 July with tickets available from the Royal Albert Hall website. It will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds at 3pm on Saturday 26 July. Watch The Traitors on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist FE Follow for more
