Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Hisaishi review – frothing strings and quacking brass as Studio Ghibli’s composer debuts

Royal Albert Hall, London

Switching between podium and piano, Joe Hisaishi’s suite from The Boy and the Heron sparked joy, but Reich’s demanding Desert Music was vibrant and hypnotic

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ne of the pleasures of the BBC Proms is that they bring some of classical music’s biggest names from around the world to the Royal Albert Hall. But celebrity is always relative – and, for better or worse, most Proms artists don’t also headline stadium gigs.

But Japanese composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi does and, at 74, is a Proms debut artist like no other. He came on stage to waves of screaming and phones brandished to capture the moment. Never heard of him? You’re probably not part of the vast fanbase of the “cultural phenomenon” Studio Ghibli. Hisaishi is the John Williams of anime, responsible for the music in global hits from My Neighbour Totoro to The Boy and the Heron.