Barenboim, Haitink, Rattle to headline at Britain's Proms

Three of the world's most respected conductors and performers are to headline at the world's largest classical music festival, it was announced on Thursday.

The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, organized and funded by the BBC and known as the BBC Proms, will see conductors Daniel Barenboim, Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle conduct concerts with world-class orchestras during the two-month-long festival of music, which takes place from mid-July, featuring more than 90 concerts.

Once again the Royal Albert Hall in London will be the principal venue for concerts, hosting at least one during the festival run.

In addition, the Proms will hold concerts in several venues across London -- including Southwark Cathedral, a former Victorian music hall, Tate Modern art gallery, and a multi-storey car park in the south London suburb of Peckham.

For the first time in 70 years a Prom concert will be held outside London, in the northern city of Hull, to mark the former industrial city's status as this year's UK City of Culture.

David Pickard, director BBC Proms, said: "122 years since the Proms was founded, I'm proud that the festival continues to achieve its original aim -- to bring the best classical music to the widest possible audiences."

"In my second season as director, I'm thrilled to present a season that not only showcases the very best of the world's greatest artists, composers, orchestras and ensembles, but also puts new audiences for classical music at its heart," added Pickard. Endit