Tyrants
Donald Macleod presents musical portraits of five absolute rulers famed more for their evil deeds than for their good work.
3: Peter the Great. Peter the Great of Russia visited Britain 300 years ago and left a trail of destruction in his wake. A ruthless moderniser, he built a new capital city from nothing and named it after himself. Music includes excerpts from Albert Lortzing 's operetta Tsar and Carpenter, performed by Herrmann Prey (baritone) and the Dresden
State Orchestra, conductor
Robert Heger , plus traditional and church music from early-18th-century Russia.