Synopsis
Michael Portillo explores his passion for Richard Wagner's Ring cycle, a monumental : and controversial : operatic masterpiece in four parts which took the composer 26 years to complete. The Bavarian State Opera rehearse their roles in Rheingold, the first in the sequence, and conductors Zubin Mehta and Pierre Boulez discuss the difficulties faced by orchestra and singers alike as they perform the epic music drama, and assess the themes embraced in Wagner's work.

Count Basie | Dancing through the Blitz: Blackpool's Big Band Story
Jools plays a Count Basie song and explains why simplicity can be better then being over the top.

Dancing through the Blitz: Blackpool's Big Band Story
Documentary film celebrating the big band sound and uncovering the social history behind the music that kept the nation's spirits up through the Second World War.