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´óÏó´«Ã½ Two. Sat 26th April, 20:30.

Acclaimed tenor Rolando Villazon presents the story of one of the best-known operas of all time – Don Giovanni.

Based in Prague, Rolando explores the run-up to the first ever performance there in 1787. He explores the music of the opera and the social setting in which it was first performed, before recreating in great detail the finale of the opera as it would have looked and sounded on that evening.

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Four. Starts Sun 27th April. 19:00.

Kasper Holten, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House, presents a mesmerizing new production of Mozart’s sublime tragicomedy.

Mariusz Kwiecien stars as Don Giovanni, an artist who seduces an endless stream of women through his ability to create wonderful illusions. His catalogue of sexual conquests is a vain attempt to escape his own mortality and comes at a high price.

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Four. Starts Thu 1st May, 21:00.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ and are embarking on a unique partnership, encompassing this three-part series presented by Dr Lucy Worsley for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Four, and an exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

Lucy will discover the personal side of the early Georgians through the spectacular paintings, drawings and furniture on display in the exhibition. With Royal Collection Trust curators, she will see how these objects reveal Britain at the very moment it was becoming the modern country we know today.

She will also travel to Hanover to discover that the politics and dynastic squabbles, which defined the reigns of George I and George II, frequently had a continental backstory.

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Four. Tue 6th May, 21:00.

Art historian Dr Richard Clay tells the story of the French revolution - from the storming of the bastille to the rise of Napoleon.

As the significant modern outbreak of iconoclasm, Clay argues that the French Revolution reveals the destructive and constructive roles of iconoclasts and how this led directly to the birth of the modern Europe.

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Two. Sun 20th April, 21:30.

Handel's Messiah is one of the most recognisable choral pieces in western music. However, not many people know that it paved the way for a philanthropic institution: The Charity Concert.

Historian Amanda Vickery and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3 presenter Tom Service present this documentary which re-creates the premiere of Messiah at The Foundling Hospital in 1750 and tells the story of how this masterpiece heralded a golden age of philanthropy.

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Four. Starts Mon 7th April, 21:00.

Suzy Klein presents a three-part series exploring the role that music played in all aspects of 18th century life.

From illicit assemblies in Soho to church choirs in Lancashire, this programme delves into how this cultural explosion transformed the entire nation.

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