SPOILER alert. It was exactly 100 years ago that the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius conducted the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the original, all glass Winter Gardens.

And the audience that day was very blessed to witness a flawless performance from the great man who had a liking for champagne and form for forgetting whether he was in a concert or a rehearsal.

This is just one of the nuggets the in person and online audiences (it's free on digital live stream) will hear from Classic FM's popular afternoon presenter Anne-Marie Minhall when she hosts the BSO's Classical Extravaganza on Thursday August 12 at Lighthouse Poole.

There is plenty more where that came from but I promised not to steal her thunder.

Anne-Marie told the Echo said she had been very fortunate to work with the BSO, Classic FM's orchestra in the south west, over many years.

"It has always been a pioneering orchestra but what it has achieved in the past 18 months has been wondrous, with the live-streaming and being able to put on full symphonic concerts.

"Everyone associated with the BSO has a passion and vision to bring classical music to as wide an audience as possible, as does Classic FM. We have that in common.

"To sit and watch them live is such a privilege, in fact to sit and watch them rehearse is a real privilege."

She added: "If the last year and a half has taught us anything it is to embrace what we have and that we are nothing without arts and culture.

"Music has helped everyone through hasn't it? Hang onto that orchestra. It is amazing."

She paid tribute to the BSO's "world class music making," its inclusivity and the groundbreaking work in dementia, in hospitals, the care sector and in education.

"My goodness, is that needed now more than ever. What the BSO team has achieved and continues to achieve is phenomenal.

"With Kirill Karabits at the helm and world class players who care about the community they are playing to and playing for, there is a real star quality."

During the pandemic Classic FM's listening hours have increased by a third, helping connecting people through music in the most difficult of times.

The Classical Extravaganza programme on August 12 could be described as something of a blockbuster.

It includes Finlandia (of course) the unofficial national anthem of Finland, Borodin's Polotsvian Dances, Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre, some movie magic with John William's ET and Star Wars (the highest grossing instrumental soundtrack of all time) and the rousing finale of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture - "always a joy," said the presenter.

The BSO’s Classical Extravaganza is supported by Summer Series Sponsor Investec and BCP Council.

Tickets for socially-distanced seats or the (free) digital livestream are available at bsolive.com