This is a Prom of pure sunshine and escapism; a return to the optimism of the 1960s where the future promised space travel, relaxation and cocktails. Conducted by Edwin Outwater, the BBC Concert Orchestra seem to be having the time of their lives, as they resurrect these lounge classics and pay homage to the bygone art of 1960s pop orchestration — taking it out of the studio, and onto the stage.

The programme pays particular homage to composer Henry Mancini (1924—1994), celebrating a hundred years since his birth, with some of his most beloved pieces. It’s particularly poignant that his daughter, Monica Mancini, joins the orchestra to sing the Oscar-winning “Moon River”, playing with the rhythm in her inimitable, husky tone. Mancini’s iconic main theme from TV Show Peter Gunn (1958) provides one of the standouts of the whole evening, with the brass section capturing the original recording’s brash, car-like sound. But there are lesser-known gems, too, like “Hong Kong Fireworks” — a ‘filler’ track from the sixth Pink Panther movie, Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), where the orchestra revels in the clownish rhythms and dated, borderline-racist orchestration.

No evening of ultra-lounge could be complete without close-harmony singing. Unfortunately, the four-piece vocal ensemble (Freddie Benedict, Kevin Fox, Johanna Marshall, Liz Swain) seem under-rehearsed, and lack that trademark ‘effortless’ synchronicity when singing Henry Mancini’s “Days of Wine and Roses”, or Michel Legrand’s “The Windmills of Your Mind” — in a strangely robotic and phraseless arrangement that bears no relation to the Oscar-winning original. Oliver Tompsett, best-known for pop/rock musical theatre, does his best to channel Tom Jones for “What’s New Pussycat?” and “It’s Not Unusual”, but seems upstaged by the orchestra’s unstoppable energy. Rachel John, another West End performer, offers us some welcome respite in Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love” and “This Guy’s in Love With You”.

The irrepressibly optimistic and witty tone of the music is matched by the comedy of national treasure Mel Giedroyc, easily the best presenter of this year’s Proms (and maybe ever). Be sure to catch the whole thing on BBC Four (and iPlayer) this Friday.

Tickets for all 73 Proms are available from just £8 on the BBC Proms 2024 website.