Rudolf Weber Arena, Oberhausen, Germany30th November 2025
Night of the Proms 2025 with Alice Cooper, Midge Ure, Michael Schulte, Joss Stone, Vanessa Amorosi & Safri Duo, the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Alexandra Arrieche, the NOTP Backbone Band and the choir Fine Fleur - moderation by Marcus Fahn
Night of the Proms returned in 2025 with a stellar line-up. Joining the tour are Rock legend ALICE COOPER, New Wave pioneer MIDGE URE, German Pop singer MICHAEL SCHULTE, Soul sensation JOSS STONE, powerhouse vocalist VANESSA AMOROSI, and the Danish percussion phenomenon SAFRI DUO. Together with a full symphony orchestra, choir, and band, they will create a thrilling fusion of Classical and Pop music, bridging the gap between genres, eras, and cultures.
Night of the Proms is far more than an ordinary concert. Since its founding in Belgium in 1985, it has captivated hundreds of thousands of fans across Europe each year. Its unique formula: international Pop stars perform their biggest hits, not with a traditional Rock band, but in lavish arrangements with a full symphonic orchestra and classical choir. Combined with timeless classical works - from Beethoven and Mozart to modern composers - the result is a dramatic, emotional journey that gives audiences goosebumps. Powerful, emotional, and live - Night of the Proms is a concert experience that transcends genres and brings people together.
For over five decades, ALICE COOPER has been synonymous with theatrical Rock shows, dark glamour, and provocative performance. With songs like ‘School’s Out’, ‘Poison’, and ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’, he has written Rock history. Known for his black eye make-up, electric guitar riffs, and unmatched stage presence, Cooper is considered the godfather of Shock Rock and has influenced generations of musicians. His debut at Night of the Proms promises an electrifying fusion of orchestral drama and Hard Rock.
MIDGE URE is an icon of the 1980s and far beyond. As frontman of ULTRAVOX, he defined the new wave sound with anthems like ‘Vienna’ and ‘Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’. His solo career also set new standards. His co-founding of the Band Aid project with Bob Geldof and his humanitarian efforts highlight his influence beyond music. With his emotive voice and electronic soundscapes, Ure is a perfect fit for the Proms’ orchestral concept.
Singer-songwriter MICHAEL SCHULTE touched hearts across Europe with his 2018 Eurovision entry ‘You Let Me Walk Alone’, earning a remarkable fourth-place finish for Germany. Since then, he has become a staple of the German music scene. With hits like ‘Back to the Start’, ‘Keep Me Up’, and ‘Waterfall’, he enjoys constant airplay on radio and streaming platforms. His warm voice, heartfelt lyrics, and modern pop sound captivate a wide audience - bringing a new generation of music fans to Night of the Proms.
JOSS STONE rose to international fame as a teenager with her debut album ‘The Soul Sessions’, earning global acclaim. Influenced by legends like Aretha Franklin and Lauryn Hill, her unique soul sound made her one of the most successful British artists of her generation. With hits like ‘Super Duper Love’, ‘You Had Me’, and ‘Right to Be Wrong’, she blends retro soul with a contemporary edge. Her nuanced, expressive voice will bring a new emotional depth to the Proms’ symphonic stage.
VANESSA AMOROSI shot to worldwide fame in the early 2000s with her hit ‘Absolutely Everybody’, becoming one of Australia’s most successful Pop artists. Known for her powerful voice, stylistic versatility, and dynamic stage presence, she effortlessly moves between Pop, Soul, Rock, and Gospel. Last year, she wowed Night of the Proms audiences as a vocalist for Dave Stewart’s EURYTHMICS tribute. Now, she’s back to showcase her remarkable range once again.
The Danish act SAFRI DUO revolutionized the electronic music scene in the early 2000s with ‘Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)’. As classically trained percussionists, they brought drums into clubs and onto festival stages around the world. Their live performances are energetic masterpieces - a fusion of tribal beats, electronic textures, and classical virtuosity. At Night of the Proms, they unleashed a rhythmic storm that shatters the classical soundscape and gets the audience on its feet.
As always, the artists are supported by the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra and the Fine Fleur Choir under the direction of Alexandra Arrieche, one of the best conductors in the world. With her extraordinary temperament, she gives the classic part of the show a very individual touch. As usual, an opulent audio-visual staging of the show will ensure an unforgettable evening. The NOTP BACKBONE BAND makes the setting complete.
The Show
As always, the evening was opened by the magnificent Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Alexandra Arrieche, together with the Fine Fleur choir. Under Arrieche - one of the most acclaimed conductors of her generation, known for her dynamic temperament and striking musical clarity - the Proms’ classical core once again became a spectacle in itself. This year, the show launched with ‘The Greatest Showman’ and Rob, one of the choir members, begin singing somewhere in the audience - his voice rose from the infield before he slowly made his way to the stage, illuminated by precise, sweeping spotlights. A spine-tingling start.
The orchestra then continued alone with ‘Coppelia’s Donauwellen’, featuring the beloved annual waltz. Traditionally, a few brave couples in the aisles began to dance, captured by roaming cameras and displayed on the huge screens. As ever, the lighting was immaculate: moving elements suspended above the orchestra, warm colours, atmospheric shadows - a visual choreography of its own.
The first Pop artist of the evening was Soul singer JOSS STONE, whose career began in her teens with ‘The Soul Sessions’, an album that catapulted her into international acclaim. Influenced by Aretha Franklin and Lauryn Hill, Stone has become one of Britain’s most distinctive Soul voices. Radiant, she opened with ‘Right to Be Wrong’, her earthy, expressive vocals filling the arena. With ‘You Had Me’, she had large parts of the audience being speechless because of her voice and stage appearance - warm, soulful and wonderfully effortless.
A dramatic contrast followed with ‘Lacrimosa / Dies Irae’, where orchestra and choir delivered monumental choral intensity. Then came MIDGE URE, an icon far beyond the 1980s. As the frontman of ULTRAVOX, he helped define the New Wave era. He also co-founded Band Aid with Bob Geldof, shaping music history on a humanitarian level. His set - ‘Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’, ULTRAVOX classic ‘Vienna’ and ‘Breathe’ - reminded the audience how timeless his voice remains, and how seamlessly electronic nostalgia can blend with orchestral grandeur.
The APO shifted into a serene ‘Barcarolle’, before the SAFRI DUO took over. The Danish act revolutionised electronic music in the early 2000s with ‘Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)’, bringing classical percussion into clubs and festivals around the globe. Their performances are rhythmic spectacles, and ‘Conema Time’ followed by ‘Played Alive 2025’ brought exactly that: a percussive thunderstorm that had the crowd buzzing.
The orchestra then presented ‘Die Moldau’, before Vanessa Amorosi made her entrance. Known worldwide since her early 2000s hit ‘Absolutely Everybody’, Amorosi is celebrated for her powerhouse vocals and genre-spanning presence - from Pop to Soul, Gospel to Rock. After impressing last year as part of Dave Stewart’s EURYTHMICS tribute, she returned stronger than ever. With ‘Light My Fire’, ‘Absolutely Everybody’ and a deeply emotional ‘Music’ (John Miles), she delivered one of the most vocally impressive moments of the evening.
After the interval, the orchestra and Fine Fleur opened the second half with ‘Va, pensiero’ from Nabucco - calm, dignified, beautifully phrased. Then came Michael Schulte, whose warm, modern Pop sound has made him a staple of German music since his fourth-place success at Eurovision 2018 with ‘You Let Me Walk Alone’. Schulte represents a new generation of Pop artistry at the Proms. His songs ‘Falling Apart’, ‘You Let Me Walk Alone’ and ‘Back to the Start’ were delivered with heartfelt sincerity, his voice resonating warmly throughout the arena.
Safri Duo returned with a spectacular ‘Carol of the Bells’, complete with pyrotechnics - a true sonic and visual explosion - followed by the energetic ‘The Cave’. Afterwards, the APO performed ‘Marionetten’, accompanied by a dancer portraying a marionette - a haunting interpretation that enriched the music with theatrical depth.
A soft but touching moment followed as Joss Stone and Michael Schulte duetted on ‘Ordinary’, before the stage erupted again with Joss Stone and Vanessa Amorosi, who gave ‘Lady Marmalade’ and ‘It’s Raining Men’ an electrifying, powerhouse treatment. The orchestra then presented Tchaikovsky’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’, preparing the hall for one of the night’s most highly anticipated debuts: Alice Cooper.
For over five decades, Cooper has been synonymous with theatrical rock shows, dark glamour and provocative staging. His signature black eye make-up, dramatic storytelling and raw guitar power have earned him the title “godfather of shock rock”. Taking the Proms stage for the first time - accompanied by his two guitarists, ensuring the full Hard-Rock impact - he opened with ‘Poison’ to thunderous applause. ‘Only Women Bleed’ offered a surprising turn of vulnerability, made even more poignant as his wife, to whom he has been married for over 30 years, performed as the featured dancer. “The kiss at the end is allowed,” Marcus Fahn later joked. With ‘Might As Well Be on Mars’ and an explosive ‘School’s Out’, Cooper turned the hall into a rock theatre, merging orchestral drama with his iconic stage presence.
For the finale, all artists gathered on stage for ‘Come Together’, transforming the arena into a celebration of unity and musical diversity. Marcus Fahn thanked the musicians, the orchestra, the choir and the crowd before sending a delighted audience into the cold Oberhausen night.
The Setlist
01. APO & Fine Fleur & Rob - The Greatest Showman
02. APO - Coppelia’s Donauwellen
03. Joss Stone - Right to be wrong
04. Joss Stone - You had me
05. APO & Fine Fleur - Lacrimosa / Dies Irae
06. Midge Ure - Dancing with Tears in my Eyes
07. Midge Ure - Vienna
08. Midge Ure - Breathe
09. APO - Barcarolle
10. Safri Duo - Conema Time
11. Safri Duo - Played Alive 2025
12. APO - Die Moldau (Smetana)
13. Vanessa Amorosi - Light my Fire
14. Vanessa Amorosi - Absolutely Everybody
15. Vanessa Amorosi - Music (John Miles)
---break---
16. APO & Fine Fleur - Va Pensiere (Nabucco)
17. Michael Schulte - Falling Apart
18. Michael Schulte - You let me walk alone
19. Michael Schulte - Back to the Start
20. Safri Duo - Carol of the Bells
21. Safri Duo - The Cave
22. APO - Marionetten (Trauermarsch)
23. Joss Stone & Michael Schulte - Ordinary
24. Joss Stone & Vanessa Amorosi - Lady Marmalade / It’s raining Man
25. APO - Romeo & Juliet (Tchaikowski)
26. Alice Cooper - Poison
27. Alice Cooper - Only Women Bleed
28. Alice Cooper - Might as well be on Mars
29. Alice Cooper - School’s out
30. All Artists - Come Together
The mix of classic and Pop is surely not easy, but the concept of NOTP succeeded once more. Even though you might not be into classic or into this kind of Pop music presented there, the event is always highly recommended.
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
