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Donald Macleod, in conversation with Sir Antonio Pappano, traces the developmental line of Puccini's meticulously crafted dramatic heroines. Today they discuss Puccini's vivid evocation of student life, La Bohème, and the characters of the fragile embroiderer, Mimì and the flamboyant Musetta.

Manon Lescaut, Mimì,Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Suor Angelica are women who capture our hearts and connect directly with our emotions. Recorded at the Royal Opera House, seated beneath several striking portraits of the composer, Tony dips into the scores to show how Puccini created these unforgettable characters and how with each one, Puccini was seeking to perfect the synthesis between music and action, while constantly looking to push the boundaries of his musical language.

Born in 1858 in Lucca into a dynasty of musicians, Puccini was destined to be a church composer. That all changed when at age of 18, he walked to Pisa to see Verdi's Aida. It proved to be a formative experience. In that moment, he determined to become a man of the theatre, writing music exclusively for the stage. He went on to produce a dozen operas in fulfilment of that ambition - the last of them left incomplete at his death in 1924 - include La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, still the cornerstones of any opera house's repertory.

Set in the Latin Quarter of Paris, and premiered in 1896, La Bohème was the first of a series of highly successful collaborations with the writers Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica.

Mi chiamano Mimì (La Bohème, Act 1)
Mirella Freni, soprano, Mimì
Berlin Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Musetta's Waltz (La Bohème, Act 2)
Michel Sénechal, tenor, Alcindoro
Elizabeth Harwood, soprano, Musetta
Mirella Freni, soprano, Mimì
Nicolai Ghiaurov, bass, Colline
Rolando Panerai, baritone, Marcello
Gianni Maffei, actor, Schaunard
Chorus of Deutsche Oper, Berlin
Berlin Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Act 3 (La Bohème)
Mirella Freni, soprano, Mimì
Luciano Pavarotti, tenor, Rodolfo
Rolando Panerai, baritone, Marcello
Chorus of Deutsche Oper, Berlin
Berlin Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan, conductor.