Puccini: Vissi d'arte (from Tosca)

The legendary soprano Jarmila Novotna (b. 1907; d. 1994), long-time soloist of New York´s Metropolitan Opera House, but also a Hollywood film star, ranks among those distinguished individuals whose whole lives have been filled to the brim with work in art. Her beautiful, light, sparkling soprano, coupled with a formidable dramatic talent and a dazzling stage presence were the principal reasons underlying Jarmila Novotna´s dizzyingly steep international career. In 1928 she triumphed as Gilda in Verona´s Arena, and from 1933 - 1939 was engaged as soloist by the Vienna State Opera. Following her American debut at San Francisco came, in 1940, an engagement in the Metropolitan Opera, whose soloist she remained until 1956. After the Second World War she made repeated comeback tours of Europe, singing at Salzburg, Vienna, Paris, and before the 1948 communist coup also at Prague. The current DVD devoted to Jarmila Novotna contains two documentaries on her life and work; a digitally remastered recording of her rendition of folk songs with the piano accompaniment of Jan Masaryk; and a similarly updated collection of her 1940s readings of famous operatic arias. The sound-tracks are illustrated by copious pictorial material from the artist´s archives.

All-time classical favourites from the first ever public concert held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Broadcast live on BBC Television, June 1st 2002.

Opera fans are in for a particular treat with Dame Kiri te Kanawa (singing Bizet and Gershwin), Sir Thomas Allen (Rossini and Sir Edward German), and Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu (Puccini and Verdi) sharing the honours. Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich also makes a rare guest appearance with the cello section of the London Symphony Orchestra playing Villa-Lobos. Artists include: Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Sir Thomas Allen, The London Adventist Chorale, Julian Bliss, Ashley Wass, Roberto Bolle, Zenaida Yanowsky, Mstislav Rostropovich with cello section LSO, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, featuring music by Walton, Handel, Bizet, Gershwin, Holst, Tchaikovsky, Rossini, German, Arnold, Mendelsohn, Puccini, Verdi, Elgar and Arne.