Original version

BBC Two Northern Ireland

BBC Four

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

BBC Two Scotland

Kiri Te Kanawa

Helen Mansfield

What Makes a Great Soprano?

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Music: Classical: Opera

19/06/2010

BBC Two - What Makes a Great Soprano?

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa explores the physical and artistic demands of being a soprano.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa explores the physical and artistic demands of being an international soprano, and explains the qualities that separate the great from the merely good.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa takes a personal journey exploring the physical and artistic demands of being an international soprano in the 21st century. Filmed on location in New Zealand and New York, we glimpse the many different stresses and rewards of her working life, from visiting a throat specialist for checks on the vocal cords to taking a masterclass at the Metropolitan Opera. 

Along with fellow sopranos including Renée Fleming, Diana Damrau and Anna Netrebko, she explains the qualities that separate the great from the merely good. The programme also features a selection of Dame Kiri's own favourite performances of the past, from the early recordings of Dame Nellie Melba to the famous voices of Maria Callas, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Kirsten Flagstad, Leontyne Price and Dame Joan Sutherland. Dame Kiri explains what makes each of these voices unique, revealing the extraordinary diversity that lies behind the simple label 'soprano'.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

What Makes a Great Soprano?

Contributors

Genres

BBC Two Northern Ireland

About BBC Two