Part of the joy of Christmas on television has always been those cosy, heart-warming shows of festive music. These days, though, opera's superstars are replacing the Val Doonicans of former times.
Following the success of Christmas in Vienna 1992, tenor Placido Domingo joins with popular singer Dionne Warwick and bass-baritone Ruggero Raimondi for a selection of classic and original Christmas songs (and a few "hits" without seasonal connotations).
They perform a combination of solos, duets and trios, with a final medley that includes such favourites as The Christmas
Song and Mary's 's Boy Child. The singers are accompanied by the Mozart Boys' Choir and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vjekoslav Sutej.
Recorded just two days ago in the splendour of Vienna's
Hofburg Palace, the show was staged by Mario Dradl , who produced the famous Three Tenors concert in Rome in 1990. Tim Rice describes the scene.