1 June 2002: The classical music spectacular 'Prom at the Palace' takes place at Buckingham Palace

As the June sun shone down, 12,500 guests attended the biggest event ever held in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. 'Prom at the Palace', a concert featuring some of the biggest international stars of the classical music and opera worlds, opened the national celebrations of the Golden Jubilee Weekend.

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and the Royal Family joined concert goers for an evening of music and fireworks. Tens of thousands of spectators watched on giant screens outside Buckingham Palace, throughout the Royal Parks and in many UK cities, in addition to a television and radio audience of many millions around the world.

Guests for the concert began arriving at Buckingham Palace with their exclusive gold tickets from 3pm onwards. The 12,500 Promenaders had been randomly selected for free tickets from nearly two million applicants around the UK. 

They were greeted with a programme and a special cool-bag containing a picnic. Food for concert goers included the new dish Jubilee Chicken devised by the Royal Chef for the occasion, a half-bottle of champagne, salmon roulade, and strawberries and cream, plus miniature chocolates and shortbread biscuits. 

The lawns of Buckingham Palace became a vast picnic site, with concert goers relaxing in the sunshine, eating their picnics and drinking coffee, water and beer freely available from tents. Entertainment was provided around the garden, including acrobats, stiltwalkers, jugglers, actors, dancers and musicians.

By half past seven, guests were in their seats in the open-air auditorium. A giant stage had been erected to seat the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Chorus, as well as accommodating the international music stars. 

Members of the Royal Family present included The Prince of Wales, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and her husband Commander Timothy Lawrence, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. The Duke of York was in Japan, where His Royal Highness was due to attend the England v Sweden World Cup football match at Saitama, in his role as President of the Football Association.

Compere Michael Parkinson asked the audience to stand as The Queen, wearing a lime green suit, entered the Royal Box with The Duke of Edinburgh. As they did so, members of the Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth played the Anniversary Fanfare of William Walton.

The next item, sung by the BBC Symphony Chorus and played by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, was appropriately Handel's 'Zadok the Priest', the anthem used in the Coronation of British monarchs. Images from The Queen's Coronation were projected on the screens during the singing.

New Zealand opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was the first guest artist. She sang two pieces - the aria 'Dove sono' from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and 'Summertime' from George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess.   

From opera it was on to black spirituals. The London Adventist Chorale performed two songs from an illuminated stage in front of the garden's lake - the piece 'Great getting up morning' and 'Jubilee Spiritual', arranged specially for the Golden Jubilee.

Two of Britain's talented young musicians followed. Twelve-year-old clarinettist Julian Bliss and young pianist Ashley Wass performed together in the piece 'Solo de Concours' by Andre Messager.

The popular movement Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, from Holst's suite The Planets was the next piece, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The piece contains the theme to which the words of popular hymn 'I vow to thee my country' were set.

The setting of the Palace was used to its full potential for the next piece. Two dancers from the Royal Ballet - Zenaida Yanowsky and Roberto Bolle - performed The Black Swan pas de deux from Act III of Swan Lake in the Ballroom of the Palace, with images projected onto the screens in front of the stage. The enormous room, which is usually used for Investitures, proved the perfect setting for the piece, which is set in Prince Siegfried's palace.

English baritone Sir Thomas Allen was the next performer, singing the popular aria 'Largo al Factotum' from Rossini's The Barber of Seville and 'The Yeomen of England' from German's comic operetta Merrie England.

The other countries of the United Kingdom were not forgotten. The next item, performed by the orchestra, was 'The Nation's Dances' by Malcolm Arnold. They included dances from his Irish, Scottish and Welsh suites, specially put together for the celebration.

Celebrated cellist Mstislav Rostropovich performed from the Music Room inside the Palace, playing the second movement from a suite by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos called Bachianas Brasilieras No. 1.

The next piece was perfect for the occasion. Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks was a Royal commission, first performed in the presence of George II in Green Park, just across the road from Buckingham Palace, in April 1749. On that occasion it rained, and part of the pavilion housing the fireworks burned down. Over 250 years later, there were no such problems. Fireworks set off in front of the garden's lake blazed across the sky, showering red, white, purple and blue cascades in time with the music.

Two of opera's greatest stars - husband and wife Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna - performed at the finale of the evening. Angela Gheorghiu, wearing a fairy-tale pink evening dress, performed the aria 'Vissi d'arte' from Tosca Act II. Roberto Alagna also sang from Tosca, performing 'E lucevan le stelle' from the third act of the opera. Then, champagne glasses in hand, they performed the duet 'Brindisi' from Verdi's La Traviata.

The evening ended in community singing. The audience got to their feet for a flag-waving rendition of Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1', the patriotic song which traditionally concludes the Promenade concerts held each year in the Royal Albert Hall.

After an encore, the evening ended with the singing of the National Anthem, and applause and cheers for The Queen, who waved from the Royal Box.

As the audience departed, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh took the performers outside to the forecourt of Buckingham Palace to greet the crowds gathered around the Queen Victoria Memorial and down the Mall.
 

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