Janet Baker

In her first documentary for more than 35 years, the great British classical singer Dame Janet Baker talks more openly and emotionally than ever before about her career and her life today. With excerpts of her greatest stage roles (as Dido, Mary Stuart, Julius Caesar and Orpheus), as well as of her appearances in the concert hall and recording studio (works by Handel, Berlioz, Schubert, Elgar, Britten and Mahler), she looks back at the excitements and pitfalls of public performance.

A tribute to Jacqueline du Pré to mark the thirtieth anniversary of her death thirty years ago, on 19 October 1987. The film contains archive footage shot during Jacqueline du Pré’s lifetime which captures some glorious and professionally filmed live performances. It also remembers both her personality and her music through the memories and tributes of her closest friends and colleagues.

A line up of star performers celebrate the very best of Edward Elgar's music in the 150th anniversary year of his birth.

A portrait of the great British contralto who, despite little formal musical training, rose from humble origins to become an internationally acclaimed artist before her tragic early death in 1953. With contributions from Dame Janet Baker , Ian Jack, Sir George Christie and Lady Evelyn Barbirolli.

An irreverent survey of British Music.

This television essay from 1985 was written by Leonard Bernstein to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Gustav Mahler's birth. Recorded in Israel, Vienna and later in London, it is punctuated by biographical interludes and illustrated by musical examples drawn from the cycle of Mahler's works recorded by Bernstein. Bernstein talks, plays and conducts various orchestras (Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker) and soloists (Janet Baker, Christa Ludwig, Edith Mathis, Lucia Popp, Walton Groenroos) in performances spanning 17 years. Leonard Bernstein also examines the roots of Gustav Mahler's inspiration. The programme also features music from the nine symphonies, 'The Song of the Earth' and the 'Wunderhorn Cycle'.

David Rendall, John Tomlinson, Janet Baker, Peter Butler, Rosalind Plowright, Angela Bostock, Glenn McKeown, Giuseppe Bardari, Tom Hammond, Alan Opie, Leigh Maurice

Made for TV movie version of the famous opera.

Mary Marquis introduces a concert recorded in the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh in 1981 with Dame Janet Baker. She performs Mendelssohn's concert aria Infelice and Handel's dramatic solo cantata Lucrezia with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

A portrait of one of England's greatest composers. Winner of the Prix Italia.