Hurricane Katrina gets musical makeover for UK Proms

By Jeremy Lovell

LONDON (Reuters) - A new musical inspired by the hurricane that devastated New Orleans in 2005 will set the global warming theme of this year's world famous Promenade Concerts, the BBC said on Wednesday.

"The Water Diviner's Tale" tells the story of a group of children lost after a storm sweeps away their homes, and will be performed by 40 children backed by a youth choir.

It was commissioned by the BBC from Oscar-winning British composer Rachel Portman in collaboration with poet Owen Sheers, for the annual series of concerts in London's Royal Albert Hall.

Among a lengthy list of film scores, Portman's music for the 1996 file "Emma" won an Academy Award, while those for "The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat" were both nominated.

"There will be no overt mention of New Orleans but it is clear that the inspiration was Hurricane Katrina," outgoing concert chief Nicholas Kenyon said.

"Climate change is such a subject of the moment and the Proms does reflect what is going on in the world," he told reporters, announcing the concert line-up.

On Wednesday the BBC also launched a nationwide search to find talented 11-16 year-old singers to take part in the concert on August 27 that will be watched by an audience of 5,000 and heard my millions more.

"Children who have never even entertained the thought of singing classical music will be encouraged to apply, hundreds will receive top vocal coaching and the selected 40 will get ... performance training," said BBC producer Angela Wallis.

Applicants can apply online at www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent.

2007 will be the 112th anniversary of the Proms, as they are popularly known, and the 80th year that the BBC has been involved.

Lasting two months, they will this year cover eight centuries of music in some 90 concerts.

From the 13th-century Icelandic sagas that inspired Wagner, to a lost Renaissance Mass, the Baroque of Handel, Bach and Rameau, to the orchestral repertory from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, the music is performed by leading world artists.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra's Jiri Belohlavek will conduct the Last Night of the Proms on September 8 -- an occasion broadcast live that provokes a national singalong.