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DESTINATION NEWS

What's hot in London this weekend?

Lovers of the arts who are planning a short getaway to London this weekend will have no shortage of things to do during their time in the capital.

The Proms season continues at the Royal Albert Hall, with the prestigious venue hosting two shows on Friday August 20th.

Prom 46, which begins at 19:00 BST, marks the culmination of celebrations to honour the 75th birthday of Estonian composer Arvo Part with a performance of Symphony No 4, his first new work for over 35 years that was given a world premiere by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009.

Also on the bill is Mosolov's The Foundry, being performed at the Proms for the first time in 70 years, as well as Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand and the Poem of Ecstasy from Scriabin.

Later in the evening, Prom 47, which gets underway at 22:00 BST, features two London premieres - Feldman's Piano and Orchestra and Cardew's Bun No 1.

Billed by the venue as a "late-night mixed platter of English and American experimental traditions", the concert will also feature Howard Skempton's Lento and Cage's First Construction (in Metal).

For those who favour theatre over music a run of The Tempest from the Oxford Shakespeare Company gets underway in the East Front Gardens of Hampton Court Palace on August 21st.

The show returns after a successful previous run and has been described by Time Out as a "smart, funny re-working" of Shakespeare's masterpiece.

Alternatively, visitors staying at luxury London hotel the Chesterfield Mayfair can head to the world-famous Shakespeare's Globe Theatre to see a performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor, which is back after delighting audiences in 2008 and runs until October.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the production was given five stars by the Sunday Telegraph, which praised its "humanity, ingenuity and irresistible charm".

And visitors who prefer their stories told on screen rather than on stage are not left out, with Syon Park in west London hosting Cinema Under The Stars, offering night screenings of some special movies.

Friday 20th will see 80s classic Top Gun play in the scenic surroundings, with screenings of Up and Pretty Woman taking place on the Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The films are expected to start at around 21:00 BST with gates opening at 19:30 BST, giving guests who have booked the Mayfair Weekends package at the Chesterfield Mayfair plenty of time to enjoy the complimentary afternoon tea for two that is included in the offer.

In addition, newspapers and wireless internet access are provided free-of-charge, along with a full English breakfast at the start of each day and a bottle of fine Champagne to sample in the room.

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