It was a year of large-scale projects for our artists at the BBC Proms 2000. Using the full dimensions of the Royal Albert Hall, RICHARD HICKOX gave his first Proms concert with his new orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, since being appointed Chief Conductor in a monumental performance of Mendelssohn’s oratorio St. Paul with a chorus of 300 from London Symphony Chorus, BBC National Chorus of Wales and the Houston Symphony Chorus. The UK premiere of Henze’s 9th Symphony benefited from having two of its originators from the world premiere in Berlin, conductor INGO METZMACHER and the stupendous Berlin Radio Choir, together with a top-form BBC Symphony in what proved to be one of the highlights of the Proms season. Continuing the Kurt Weill centenary celebrations, Intermusica, in collaboration with the Proms, Luzern Festival and Bremen Musikfest, put together a concert performance of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny conducted by composer and Weill aficionado HK GRUBER, who earlier in the summer sang in a late-night Prom of Weill’s Berliner Requiem with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group conducted by Thomas Ades. RICHARD HICKOX also returned for an entertaining late-night Prom homage to the Australian maverick Percy Grainger, with the City of London Sinfonia. And there was joy unconfined for all admirers of pianist RICHARD GOODE, who returned to the Proms after four years, performing Mozart K. 503 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Jiri Behlolavek. Percussionist COLIN CURRIE performed in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the BBC Singers under Stephen Cleobury. Cleobury had already given a stunning late-night Prom with the CHOIR OF KINGS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, well past their bed-time!