The Proms has long been a British institution

Organisers of this year's programme are promising more large-scale opera and choral music than ever before.

About 340,000 music fans will watch the live events and millions more to tune in to 300 hours of broadcasts on BBC TV and radio in forthcoming weeks.

Between 18 July and 13 September there are 73 main concerts, eight chamber proms, four composer portraits and the proms lecture.

There will be more than 25 free pre-Prom events, five BBC Proms in the Park events on the final night and the popular CBBC Prom in the Park on 14 September.

Greek myths unite the season, bringing drama, passion, love and war to the Proms with more than 35 myth-inspired works, the BBC said.

There are 31 major premi�res from 29 composers from around the world, including seven new BBC commissions.

Other highlights include a Prom attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in their first visit to the BBC Proms since 1994.

The BBC said the Last Night of the Proms, on 13 September, was the most ambitious ever, with more than 70,000 people expected to attend Proms in the Park events across the country.