Rodney Milnes presents the second of three programmes about same-sex relationships in opera. Love Unspoken, Faith Unbroken
The age of innocence celebrated in the first programme lasted well into the 19th century, although in a somewhat overheated, romantic form.
No one found anything remarkable about the passionate male friendships in Schiller, Tennyson or Verdi, though the convoluted dramaturgy of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers does occasion the odd raised eyebrow. By the end of the century, WS Gilbert was hot on the scent of Oscar Wilde , and the cat was soon out of the bag. The programme includes highlights from operas as diverse as The Force of Destiny and Patience.