Opening day of booking for 2013 BBC Proms beats record with over 114,000 tickets sold

13 May, 2013

Booking for the BBC Proms 2013 opened at 9am this morning (Saturday 11 May) and a record of over 114,000 tickets were sold in the first 12 hours. This is a 17% increase on last year, when over 97,000 tickets were purchased during the equivalent period.

Over 100,000 tickets were sold online, while the remainder were purchased by music lovers who used telephone or postal booking, or went to the Royal Albert Hall in person.

Roger Wright, Director, BBC Proms and Controller, BBC Radio 3, said:
“The Proms remains the world’s largest music festival and it is a thrill that the demand for tickets has been extremely high. Although this is a record breaking number of tickets sold on the first day of booking, it's important to remember that there are still tickets available for the vast majority of events and that you can always come and Prom on the day. With every Prom live on BBC Radio 3, and more Proms broadcast on BBC television and across BBC radio stations than ever, there are more ways to listen and watch the Proms in 2013."
 
The most popular Proms included the First Night of the Proms conducted by Sakari Oramo in his inaugural performance as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (12 July), two Doctor Who Proms (13 & 14 July) and both Proms by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with Mariss Jansons (8 & 9 August). For those who were unable to buy tickets for these Proms, there are other ways to hear the concerts. Up to 1,400 Promming tickets are released on the day of each Prom, priced at just £5 for the eighth consecutive year, and returns are often available via the Royal Albert Hall box office. Tickets for the majority of the 2013 BBC Proms are still available and every Prom is broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 with many also televised.
 
Jasper Hope, Chief Operating Officer, Royal Albert Hall said:
“With 50 years of the Doctor coinciding with anniversaries for Wagner, Verdi and Britten amongst others, not to mention concerts by the Stranglers and the Vienna Philharmonic, we expected another level of demand this year but this is extraordinary.  The BBC Proms is unquestionably the greatest classical music festival in the world and we are honoured to be hosting the 119th season on the world’s most famous stage”
 
Full details of the season are available at: bbc.co.uk/proms
 
For further information, please contact:
Camilla Dervan, Communications Manager BBC Proms
camilla.dervan@bbc.co.uk / 020 7765 4714 / 07919 341 256