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Enjoy timeless orchestral favourites, perfect for a summer's evening celebrating music, history and heritage. Our 2026 orchestral programme takes in iconic modern pieces beautifully complemented by classical favourites you know and love. Enjoy a medley of James Bond songs (joined by the Battle Proms Belles!) nostalgic 40s/50s tunes and even the theme from The Archers to mark the show's 75th year!
The concert opens with the legendary Grace Spitfire flying overhead alongside Elgar's moving Pomp and Circumstance March no. 4. Our young soloist will perform Mozart's Flute Concerto and Flight of the Bumblebee, the horsemen and women of the Worcestershire Cavalry will ride along to The Light Cavalry Overture and, as ever, there will be a ground-shaking, breath-taking performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and Beethoven's 'Battle Symphony' in true Battle Proms Style, with over 200 cannons providing the percussion!
The Battle Proms programme really does have something for everyone and we can't wait to share it with you!
First Half
| Sir Edward Elgar | Pomp and Circumstance March No.4 in G Symphony No. 1 in A Flat major With choreographed air display from the Grace Spitfire - weather permitting! |
| Franz Von Suppé | Light Cavalry Overture (with a musical ride from the Worcestershire Cavarly) |
| arr. Victor Lopez | James Bond Medley |
| Pietro Mascagni | Cavalleria Rusticana (from The Godfather: Part III) |
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Flute Concerto No.2 in D major, K.314 – third movement Soloist: Lucy Rowan |
| Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov | Flight of the Bumble Bee Soloist: Lucy Rowan |
| Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | 1812 Overture Op. 49 (with live cannon fire!) |
- Interval -
Second Half
| Jack Strachey | In Party Mood (from Housewives' Choice) |
| Edward White | Puffin' Billy |
| Arthur Wood | Barwick Green (from The Archers) |
| Alexander Borodin | And This Is My Beloved (from Kismet) Soloist: Denise Leigh |
| Ludwig Van Beethoven | Wellington’s Victory - 'The Battle Symphony' (with 194 live cannons, musketfire and fireworks!) |
| Traditional | The Sailor’s Hornpipe |
| Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry | Jerusalem Soloist: Denise Leigh |
| Thomas Arne | Rule, Britannia! Soloist: Denise Leigh |
| Sir Edward Elgar | Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D (Land of Hope and Glory) Soloist: Denise Leigh |
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In 2026 we celebrate 22 years of working with the acclaimed soprano and exceptional talent that is Denise Leigh, who this year will be performing And This Is My Beloved from the 1953 musical Kismet, then returning to lead the crowd in the sing-along finale pieces.
We were thrilled to see our star soprano showcased to the nation on Britain's Got Talent in May in 2024 with an exceptional performance that had the crowd on its feet, Bruno Tonioli in tears and garnered 'a million yeses' from Simon Cowell. CLICK HERE to see the performance by Dee and her husband Stefan that won the hearts of the nation.
Warming up the crowd before the orchestra takes to the stage we have the simply fabulous Battle Proms Belles with their gorgeous vintage close harmony vocals and super live band.
Lizzie and Abi are sure to get you tapping your toes and singing along with their nostalgic tunes and modern classics. They will once again be joined by the Victory Swing Dancers and you're all invited to jive along!
This year the Belles will also return to the stage during the orchestral programme to add some glamour to our James Bond Medley!
The Battle Proms is a proms in the park like no other, a fabulous day out for the whole family packed with uplifting music and dramatic displays.
The horsemen and women of the Worcestershire Cavalry will take you on a horseback journey through time, exploring British cavalry through the ages! Enjoy thrilling skill-at-arms displays in a variety of historic regalia, with a chance to meet the horses and riders up close before they return for the ever popular 'Musical Ride' to Von Suppé's Light Cavalry Overture.
They may not be playing instruments, but the sound of these parachutes coming in to land is something to behold!
Part of our afternoon's entertainments and quite literally 'dropping in' to the concerts, we will welcome the world-famous Red Devils - The British Army and Parachute Regiment's official display team. Be sure to head to their landing area to grab a selfie.
As evening approaches and the orchestra takes to the stage listen out for the tell-tale rumble of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Always a Battle Proms highlight the legendary Grace Spitfire performs a meticulously choreographed aerial display to the open pieces.
We take our name from Beethoven's 'Battle Symphony', a piece he composed to commemorate Wellington's victory over Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, including musket fire and cannons as percussion 'instruments'.
To the best of our knowledge, we are the only concert series in the world ever to have performed this piece as he intended, with the full complement of 193 live firing replica Napoleonic cannon and live musket fire providing a thunderous percussion. You can also enjoy the unique and spectacular sights and sounds of the cannons during the 1812 Overture. Cameras and flags at the ready!
The perfect summer evening closes with the traditional flag-waving proms finale. Join Denise as she leads the crowds in such favourites as Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory, with a dazzling musical firework spectacular!
The Battle Proms play host to open-air summer concerts in Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire and Hampshire at some of England’s most prestigious venues. Established in 1997, it is the longest running picnic proms series in the UK and welcomes around 30,000 visitors every summer
Burghley House 
Hatfield Park 
Highclere Castle