Proms get political as Ode to Joy features on first night

Festival tries to avoid controversial statements, but Russian-German pianist Igor Levit sneaked European Union theme through in first hour of season The BBC has been known to go to some lengths to avoid political statements being made at the Proms, but this year, pianistIgor Levit sneaked one in before even an hour of the season had passed. The Russian-German pianist’s encore – demanded in no uncertain terms by the audience after his performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No