In this archive special to celebrate the re-opening of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, listeners
have a unique opportunity to hear legendary artists from all over the world speak in person about their performances there from its inception
to today.

Amongst those taking part are Sir Thomas Allen, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Edward Downes, Sir Georg Solti, Dame Joan Sutherland, Jon Vickers, Carol Neblett, Constance Shacklock and members of the Royal Opera Orchestra and Chorus. There are also recollections of Maria Callas, Placido Domingo, Sir Geraint Evans, Angela Gheorghiu, Tito Gobbi, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Carlos Kleiber, Rafael Kubelik, Zubin Mehta, and Karl Rankl, as well as memories of producers Piero Faggioni and Franco Zefirelli, and also of Sir David Webster, the creator and founder of the Royal Opera.

Musically the programme features extracts from Royal Opera recordings of The Trojans (Berlioz),
Peter Grimes (Britten), Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti), L’Amico
Fritz (Mascagni), Don Giovanni (Mozart), La Fanciulla del West (Puccini),
Tosca (Puccini), Don Carlos (Verdi), Falstaff (Verdi), Otello (Verdi),
La Traviata (Verdi), The Flying Dutchman (Wagner), and Lohengrin (Wagner)

The Royal Opera – House of Legends is a remarkable behind the scenes story of the Royal Opera’s legendary days recounted in the words of artists who took part
in some of the most famous and inspired operatic performances in history.