大象传媒

Mimi and Rodolfo, Violetta and Alfredo, Tosca and Cavaradossi, Carmen and Don Jose. Love is in the air as we meet opera's greatest lovers.

His enthusiasm and energy knows no bounds. Dancer, choreographer, and Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli returns to Radio 2 with a second series celebrating his greatest passion - opera. Top Cs, broken hearts, murdering mothers, sparkling cadenzas and record breaking curtain calls - that's what we have in store as Bruno brings the red and gold of the world's finest opera houses to your front room via Radio 2.

In this four part series Bruno will explore Love, Opera Villains, Secrets and Lies and in the final programme, great operatic farewells.

In this opening programme he explores the theme of Love. First loves, secret loves, love at first sight, forbidden love and unrequited love. Remember to fasten your seat belts for the path of love in opera is a rocky and bumpy ride!

We discover Queen Victoria's favourite opera and the Verdi masterpiece that Prince Albert forbade her to see. Prepare yourself for seductions and rejections and a colourful cast that includes a cigarette factory girl, a poet, a painter, a prostitute ,her toy boy and nun who is not as chaste as she seems.

Bruno plays tracks from La Boheme(Puccini); Carmen(Bizet); I Puritani(Bellini) and La Traviata(Verdi) recorded by some of his favourite opera stars including - Dame Joan Sutherland, Teresa Berganza, Mirella Freni, Kiri te Kanawa, Joseph Calleja, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.