The concert hall is the new pub

LONDON: Can you imagine lying down at a concert, enjoying your food and soft drink? And you don't need to dress formally - short pants, T-shirts and sandals will do.

Believe it or not, you can do whatever you want at the BBC Proms concerts, as long as you don't disturb the orchestra.

I was told it's a must-do event in the city before I came to London early this summer. It proved true. It is more than a season of symphony concerts - it's a place to experience the London way of living.

A Prom means a Promenade Concert, or a concert where part of the audience stands in a "promenade" area of the hall. Starting from July 13, the beginning of Prom season, two endless queues circled the Royal Albert Hall every day in the afternoon, waiting for the 5-pound standing tickets. More than 1,400 standing places available at each Prom, and I joined the queue on Monday for Schubert. After one hour of queuing, I got the 5-pound standing ticket at the gallery. Rushing to the top of the hall, I found a place by a pillar from where I could peek the stage clearly.

Many consider standing in the arena, directly in front of the orchestra, the best spot in the hall. I strongly recommend standing high up in the gallery where the sound drifts up. And you can enjoy more than just the music.

As more people arrived, the gallery soon became more like a picnic site, a pub or even somebody's bedroom, which I never expected to happen in a concert, particularly in a classical symphony concert. However, that's the magical power of the Proms in London. More than 5,000 people from all walks of life can listen to the masterpieces together.

People around me started eating their sandwiches and salads with beer and all kinds of soft drinks. The Royal Albert Hall was soon filled with the smell of cheese, onion and tuna fish. What astonished me the most was a middle-aged couple by the wall. The man was in his T-shirt and short pants, and the woman had a pink T-shirt and a jean skirt. First, they spread a blue sheet on the ground. As soon as they sat down, they started kissing and didn't stop until the concert began. Wooh! They really felt at home.

Following Schubert's Symphony No 5, I heard sound of snoring from behind me. I turned around and saw some patrons who had made themselves comfortable on the ground.

At that moment, I wondered if Daniel Barenboim, one of the world most famous conductors, and his Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra could smell the onion. Were they able to hear the snoring?

Up in the circles, in the tiers and in the boxes, the punters were not so laid-back. They have strictly maintained the traditional way of going to a classical concert.

Different people have their different ways of enjoying the classical music, I guess. Some nap, some get all dressed up.

I finally got the spirit of the 111-year-old Prom. I'm planning the last night for the Prom on September 8. I'll bring something to eat, at least an apple and a cup of tea.

(China Daily 09/06/2007 page20)